The Triwizard Tournament
by EMPFangirl02
Summary: The gang is back for their 4th year at Master's Wu's School. It's time for the Triwizard Tournament. Everyone is excited about it. But what dangers lie ahead for them? Is the Tournament really what it seems, or is something else at work? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

Prologue-Triwizard Tournament

* * *

 **Lloyd's POV**

 _Break seemed to go by extra slowly for Lloyd. Usually, time off school meant time with Uncle Wu, but this time he decided to up and leave for some unknown reason. Lloyd sighed loudly, even though no one could hear him in the empty room._

 _The soon-to-be second year flopped down on the old mattress and sighed again. He was bored and there was absolutely nothing to do here. Lloyd closed his eyes and imagined how much better break would have been if Uncle Wu had been here._

" _Hello, L-loyd!" A cheerful voice called._

 _Lloyd groaned in response. No, no, no. Not him. "My name is Lloyd," he emphasized._

 _How did he even get in anyways? Lloyd looked around just in time to catch his father climbing in the window. Of course. Because he was too good for the door._

" _Whatever," Garmadon said, brushing off his son's correction. "I have a surprise for you."_

 _Lloyd sighed; his mind already made up that he was going to hate this surprise, no matter what it was. Lloyd rolled over and faced the wall._

" _Go away," he muttered._

" _Not until you get your surprise," Garmadon insisted._

 _Lloyd glared at him out of the corner of his eye. His father was still in his warlord get-up. He hadn't changed a bit._

" _I don't want my surprise. Go away," Lloyd repeated._

" _Oh, I think you will."_

" _I told you already! I don't want you in my life! Now,_ GO AWAY! _"_

 _The warlord stepped back as though he had been slapped. "L-loyd, I—"_

" _Just leave me alone!"_

" _If that's what you want…"_

" _It is."_

 _Garmadon backed out toward the window, leaving the way he came._

" _Finally," Lloyd thought to himself. He curled in bed, wondering how he would survive the school year with his father as a teacher._

* * *

AN: I'm back with a new installment-The Triwizard Tournament. Enjoy this little teaser! Next week will be a full chapter!


	2. Chapter 1-Announcement

Chapter 1: The Announcement

* * *

April couldn't come soon enough for me. There was always something new and exciting at school. Plus, I would actually get to see my friends instead of hearing about them from letters. Actually, Nya was the one who got the most letters. Jay had wanted to know everything about her summer and told her everything that was going on his life; from his latest invention to the new socks his mom got him.

It was getting really annoying. Jay even asked her to come out to his parents' junkyard to visit, to which I promptly refused. We were going to have to talk when I saw him again. But, on the other hand, he made Nya laugh, so maybe it wasn't so bad. But still, Jay was flirting with my little sister!

"You ready to go?" Nya asked me, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah, I guess," I said.

Once outside of Ninjago city, we began to walk toward the mountain. Nya was reading something as we went, and nearly walked off the path as it curved around a rice field. I steered her back on course and looked over her shoulder.

Disgust twisted in my stomach. It was another letter. The worse part about this whole thing is that she would send letters back, so it prompted Jay to write even more.

"What is it this time?" I asked.

Nya looked up in a daze. "What?" she asked.

"What did he say?" I repeated myself.

Her cheeks flushed. "Sappy stuff. Jay said looking forward to seeing me in school."

I sighed. "You really shouldn't encourage him."

"Why not?"

Because it's wrong, is what I wanted to say, but I knew that would just make my sister even more upset, so I said, "Because you're too young, and he's a year older than you. Besides, I don't think he's your type."

Nya stopped walking, and I realize I've said the wrong thing. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Kai," she snaps. "If I like Jay, than I like Jay. You can't tell me what to do."

"I know," I said, and then we started walking again. Now that Nya was thirteen, she thought she knew what was best for her. But part of me still wanted to protect her as my younger sister. I don't think that'll ever change.

* * *

We walked the rest of the way to the mountain in silence. Before long, we met up with everyone, including Jay, who immediately started talking a mile a minute to Nya. I sighed, but let them be. I didn't want to pick a fight with my sister.

Instead, I found myself talking to Lloyd, who apparently had a boring summer. I asked him how he felt about having Garmadon as a teacher, and he told me to drop it. Okay then. Touchy subject. So, instead, we talked about annoying babysitters, or in my case, an annoying foster father.

Soon, we were piling into the school, the first years were sorted, and we were settling in for a feast. Lloyd sat with me, even though he technically wasn't a fire wizard. Since he'd mastered all the elements, the second year probably figured he could sit anywhere he wanted.

Master Wu stood up for announcements. I turned with the others and waited for the classic 'Don't feed the koi fish' speech.

"Students, I have an important announcement." the professor began. "The Tri-wizard Tournament is being held at Hogwarts this year, and our school has been invited to participate."

Excited whispers broke out across the room. I looked Lloyd in confusion, who shrugged back.

"It's an old contest, I think Uncle Wu mentioned it once," he explained. Not really helpful, but it was the thought that counted. I could always ask Zane about it later.

Master Wu waited for the noise to die down, then continued, "However, only those seventeen or older are allowed to participate, due to the dangers of the tournament."

Groans echoed across the hall. I had no idea what was going on, so I didn't really care either way.

"Silence," Wu commanded. He didn't shout, but the whole school quieted in an instant. "This is a rare opportunity to witness advanced wizardry and learn from other schools. We will all go to Hogwarts in October to watch the tournament."

There were still some discontented grumbles, but for the most part, the crowd was pacified.

"Enjoy the feast," Master Wu said before sitting down.

Right on cue, the food appeared on plates and everyone began to dig in. I didn't feel like touching my fish though. I wanted answers. What was this tournament? Why was this the first time I was hearing about it? What was even going on?

"Did Wu tell you about any of this?" I asked Lloyd. With the Headmaster as his uncle, he should have some inside knowledge about what was going on in this school.

"No. He was gone all break," Lloyd replied, sounding pretty bitter about it.

I guess I was just going to have to wait for Zane. The kid was practically a walking encyclopedia. As I turned back to my fish, an idea popped in my head. Who said I had to wait till after the feast? Why couldn't I just walk over to the Ice table and talk to my friend? It's not like there was rule against it.

So I left plate and stood up.

"Where are you going?" Lloyd whispered, like I did something horribly wrong.

"To talk to Zane," I replied.

Lloyd gave me a look, but didn't say anything else. Now that I had said it out loud, I made my way across the stretch between tables. It felt like I was walking a across a vast, no-man's land instead of just a few feet. I could feel eyes watching me. No one ever bothered to get up from their tables until after the feast. I think I might be the first.

"You there! Get back in you seat!" A voice shouted. I looked around, not recognizing the voice. It was a kid I had never seen before, but pinned onto his red robe was a prefect badge. I guess that meant he was important, but since I had no idea who he was, I felt a little braver.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because it's not allowed!" the boy snapped.

"Why not?" I repeated. I felt like a little kid talking back to his parent, but really, this whole conversation was childish.

"I'm just going to talk to my friend. I'll come right back," I added the last bit to make the boy feel better.

The boy's face turned as red as his robe, but he finally backed down. "Alright, but you better come back!"

Jeez. All I wanted was some answers. I scanned the white kimonos for Zane and found him sitting by himself, studying a rectangular sheet of paper. Typical Zane. I sat down next to him, and he didn't even look up. I followed his gaze to a small blueprint of my friend. All of his parts were labeled and marked, down to the last bolt.

I'm guessing he got that from his father.

"Hey, Zane," I greeted him.

"Hello, Kai," he replied.

"So, have you heard of this Tri-wizard Tournament?" I asked him.

Zane finally looked up at me. "Yes, I read about it in A Magical History of—"

"That's great," I interrupted. Zane's explanations tended to be long-winded and I could feel that boy's eyes boring holes into my back. Not that I cared what other people think, but that kid seemed to have some kind of authority and I'd hate to wind up in detention if I could help it.

"Can you tell me a bit about it?" I asked.

"It's a magical competition between the three major wizarding schools in the world: Beauxbaton Academy, Hogwarts, and us. It was shut down due to the increasingly high death count during the tasks."

I swallowed. Deaths? What all was involved in these tasks?

"Thanks, Zane," I said. I got up and my friend's eyes followed me the whole time.

"I'm going to finish my dinner now," I excused myself. Zane nodded, and I walked back across to my seat. I stared at my fish, but suddenly, I didn't feel that hungry. I picked at my food, waiting for the feast to be done with.

"What'd you find out?" Lloyd asked me.

I told him.

Lloyd's eyes widened. "Glad I'm not turning seventeen anytime soon,"

"Yeah," I replied. It was a good thing none of us could compete. An image of Nya and all of my friends lying dead on the ground burned in my mind. We barely survived the Overlord, Great Devourer, and the Dementors. I don't think we can cheat death again.

* * *

AN: Here we go again! Thanks for your support!


	3. Chapter 2-The Dark Professor

Chapter 2: The Dark Professor

* * *

Since the tournament was about seven months away, I managed to push it off as a distant dream. It wasn't that difficult, since after the first week of school, the excitement died down and people began to focus more on their classes. Soon, the halls were buzzing with different gossip: the new DADA teacher.

Garmadon had completely taken over the class and made it his own. His lessons were interactive, in your face, and real life dark arts. Literally. There were times when he would actually throw curses at us and expect us to block them. I had him next period, and I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to or dreading it.

I sat down in my seat in the back left, next to Cole and Jay, and waited for the show to begin. I looked at Garmadon's desk to see if there were any clues to today's lesson. All I saw was a spider in a jar. I glanced at the clock. Sixty seconds…forty-five…thirty…

BAM!

The door slammed behind our professor as he marched with purpose to the center of the classroom. He hadn't changed much since we had rescued him. He still wore his warlord helmet, and his red eyes pierced through our souls. The only difference was his armor had been replaced with billowing, black robes.

"What are the three Unforgivable Curses?" Garmadon asked the class, without so much as a good morning.

I looked at Cole, who shrugged back. I had never heard of the unforgivable curses before, and I guess he hadn't either. In front of me, a girl raised her hand.

"Go on," Garmadon said, gesturing with one of his four arms for her to speak.

"The Imperius Curse," she responded.

Garmadon nodded. "Ah, yes. The Imperius Curse. I remember it quite well."

The class murmured quietly, reminded once again that their teacher used to be a dark wizard.

Meanwhile, Garmadon had unscrewed the lid of the spider's container and whipped out his wand. " _Imperio!_ "

With a mere flick, the spider jumped onto a student's head. The girl shrieked and tried to get the creature out of her hair. Garmadon laughed, and the whole class joined in. After he had his fun, Garmadon made the spider fly back to the jar.

"The Imperius Curse allows the user to have complete control over its victim. The ministry doesn't want me to preform it on a student, but I think that's absolutely ridiculous. Is a dark wizard going to hesitate just because you're a student?" Garmadon's red eyes swept the room, before he answered his own question. "No. Which is why you are all going to have an opportunity to experience it for yourself."

The class shivered as the professor made another sweep of the classroom.

"Can he actually do this to us?" Jay whispered urgently.

I shrugged. Honestly, our professor was so unpredictable; I had no idea. I didn't want to tell Jay that though. He looked panicked enough as it was.

Garmadon's gaze fell on an unfortunate student in the front. It was Chen. I grinned to myself. This was going to be good.

The professor pointed his wand at the bully's face.

"But, sir!" Chen protested, "Isn't this illegal?"

Garmadon didn't look fazed. "Probably, but what the ministry doesn't know can't hurt them."

I craned my neck to get a good look at Chen. I could tell he was shaking in his boots, but I wished I could see his face.

" _Imperio!"_ Garmadon said.

It felt like the whole class was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen next. We didn't have to wait long to find out. Chen jumped on top of his desk and started singing and dancing to an invisible tune. The desk pitched and rolled under his weight, but he didn't stop, not even when he went tumbling through the air and crashed on the floor.

Someone snickered, followed by another, and another, until the whole class broke out into hysterical laughter. I joined in too. It was satisfying to see the bane of my existence make a fool of himself in front of everyone. Garmadon let us laugh, but before long, he pulled everyone under control.

"Who's next?" he asked, an impish grin on his face.

* * *

I walked out of that class with a headache, and a gurgling stomach. One moment, I was in a relaxing, floating, trance-like state, and the next, I was lying down on the floor with a terrible pain in my head. I dimly remember a voice telling me to spin in a violent circle as fast as I could. I guess at some point I got so sick; I just collapsed on the floor, hitting my head in the process.

I didn't get it so bad though. One person imitated a shark, and another person got into a fight with the professor. That poor kid is probably real sore right about now. Tomorrow, he would be teaching us the rest of the curses and how to resist the effects of the Imperius curse. I just hoped that the next few lessons wouldn't be as interactive as this one.

* * *

Later, I sat down at lunch with a big sigh. My stomach felt better, but my head was still pounding. I wondered if I got a concussion.

"Garmadon is crazy! Absolutely crazy!" Jay ranted as he came into the library. "He preformed an Unforgivable Curse on us! An Unforgivable Curse! That can't be allowed."

"Correct," Zane replied.

"What'd he make you do?" I asked Zane. Jay did gymnastics, even though I knew he wasn't flexible in real life, and Cole sang in front of everyone, but since Zane wasn't in our class, I had no idea what kind of torture he was subjected to.

Zane looked down at his book. "I would rather not discuss it," he replied, which only made me more curious.

"The whole thing was kind of cool though," Cole said. We all stared at him. Cool wasn't the word I would use.

Cole continued quickly, "I mean, how many teachers give us actual, real life experiences that we could actually use one day? If we come across a dark wizard, I want to know how to take him down."

"I guess," I admitted. "What'd you think of him, Nya?"

My sister just shook her head. "If he keeps teaching the way he's teaching, he won't be here very long," was all she said. So, I'm guessing he's the same in her class too.

I tried to remember what we learned about third year. Defending against magic creatures, like boggarts and grindylows, I thought. I shuddered to think what he was doing in that class.

"What about you, Lloyd?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, what's it like having your father as a teacher?" Cole asked.

I winced. Last time I tried to talk to Lloyd about his father, he wasn't too happy about it.

"Fine." His voice was flat, and clearly, class was anything but fine. I wished I could help him, though; I got the feeling that pressing the matter would only make things worse.

"I have him next period," Lloyd said in the same flat voice. The others realized they'd hit a touchy subject and fell quiet. Zane re-read the same page over and over again. I could tell because I couldn't hear the tell tale sound of paper crinkling and settling again as the page turned.

I leaned against a bookshelf and sighed. The atmosphere dropped fifteen degrees in here. The only sound that could be heard was the chewing of food, and most of it was coming from Cole.

Then, gradually, conversation started back up again. Jay was talking to Nya about his latest invention. Apparently, he was planning on building an actual jet from scratch for his Magic and Technology project, kind of like the one he built first year, only a lot better.

Soon, he and Nya were laughing together, much to my annoyance. To get my mind off them, I started talking to Cole and Zane. Zane and I had Transfiguration next period and since Cole had the class earlier, I asked him what we were going to expect. Nuero was a strict teacher, so we could have a pop quiz for all I knew.

Before long, our little circle was back to normal. The awkwardness with Lloyd was all but forgotten. When the bell rang, I stood up and walked quickly to class. Zane preferred to walk by himself, so I thought I'd get a head start and walk to class ahead of everyone else.

But when I looked at the door, I saw Lloyd slipping away without anyone noticing. My heart burned. He had to face Garmadon, all alone. I hoped he'd be okay.

* * *

AN: Will Lloyd survive class with Garmadon? You'll have to read next week to find out! Thanks for your continued support!


	4. Chapter 3-Interlude-Nightmare Class

Interlude: Nightmare Class (Lloyd's POV)

 **AN: Sorry this was late! I got busy!**

* * *

Lloyd slipped into the middle of the class, not blaringly obvious in the front and not a delinquent in the back, where no one would notice him. The second year put his head down and waited for the nightmare to end.

Right on time, the door slammed open and the professor whirled into the room, with his black robes billowing behind him. Everything was a show when it came to Garmadon. Lloyd lifted his head, but only to fit in with the rest. He had no interest in his father's class.

"Today you will learn the Disarming Charm. Just point your wand, shout _Expelliarmus,_ and you're good to go," he said as quickly as possible. "Now, I need a volunteer."

The professor's red eyes sparked with anticipation. Uh oh. That wasn't good. Lloyd ducked his head and tried to look as ordinary as possible. If he waited long enough, someone else would volunteer and everything would be fine. But everyone in the class seemed to be as hesitant as Lloyd was.

Garmadon scanned the dark room. Their lack of enthusiasm wasn't going to stop the former warlord. Lloyd avoided his father's gaze, but he could still feel his eyes piercing through him, ignoring his desire to stay hidden.

"L-loyd. Come up here."

Heat flushed the second year's face. Someone sniggered.

"My name's _Lloyd_ ," he corrected his father, who shook his head.

The warlord turned to the chalkboard that was in every classroom, except for Wu's, and started writing in a way that grated on Lloyd's nerves. The professor stepped back so the whole class could see the large letters written on the board. Whispers broke out across the room, and Lloyd slumped in seat.

"L-L-O-Y-D. I named you," Garmadon said, pointing to each letter in turn. He underlined the second L to prove his case. Some people were covering their laughter, afraid of offending the teacher.

"Now come up here," Garmadon commanded.

The last thing he wanted to do was get up in front of the entire class, but it didn't seem like Lloyd had much of a choice. The second year glanced at the clock. There was too much time left to stall, so that didn't leave him with many options.

"I'm not going to ask you again, L-loyd. Get up here right now."

Lloyd ducked his head; startled out of his thoughts. Garmadon was still waiting. "One."

People stopped hiding their laughter.

"Two."

Lloyd stood up. Anything was better than this torture. He forced himself to look straight ahead, to ignore his peers, who were probably still laughing at him behind his back.

Lloyd stood across from his father, and didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing his humiliation. Instead, he kept a firm glare fixed on his face.

"That wasn't so bad was it?" Garmadon asked.

"Just get on with it," Lloyd said through gritted teeth.

The warlord raised his eyebrows at his son's attitude, but said nothing. "Go back a bit… a little further—okay, okay, that's good."

Lloyd stopped a few feet before the shaded window. His father walked back a few paces too, and then drew his wand. Lloyd did the same.

"Now, I'm going to throw a curse at you, but you're going to block it with _Exelliarmus._ Ready?"

No, Lloyd was the exact opposite of ready. He was about to cast a spell he had never heard of before today, with no practice or experience, not even a demonstration to go on, and he was supposed to block a curse while doing it for the first time.

" _Flipendo!"_ Garmadon shouted.

Lloyd stumbled back. " _Expeliarmus!"_ He stuttered quickly. His wand sparked, but it wasn't enough to counter his father's spell. Lloyd gasped as the air was knocked out of him. A loud crack filled the air as the boy's back collided with the wall. Lloyd slumped, not so much from the pain, but at his utter failure.

Lloyd looked down at the ground. The knockback jinx was something he had learned last year. It should have been easy to block, but he couldn't. Lloyd imagined his father's disappointed gaze, his demonstration ruined because of his son.

After a moment, the second year pulled himself to his feet and stumbled back to his seat, head down. The professor didn't try to stop him.

When the bell rang, Lloyd couldn't get out of the room fast enough.

* * *

 **AN: Hope you all are enjoying! I'm going to post the next chapter right away, since this one was short! Merry Christmas!**


	5. Chapter 4-A Troubled Friend

Chapter 3: A Troubled Friend

* * *

Lloyd remained distant for the next couple of weeks. He didn't totally withdraw from our circle, but he wasn't talking about things that mattered either. He'd talk about classes with us, but he wouldn't say anything about Garmadon. I wished Lloyd would trust us a little more. But if he didn't want to talk, there was nothing I could do about it.

The Spring Festival came and went. Jay and Nya disappeared during part of it, but I found them under a Sakura tree before anything weird happened. Nya was upset at me, but it was worth it. She's my little sister, and no one—not even one of my friends—would ever be good enough for her. It was my job as her older brother to protect Nya, even if it made her angry. Anyways, she was thirteen, way too young to be thinking about love in my mind.

I came into the library hot and exhausted after a long class with Master Wu. Everyone was already there. Jay and Nya were sitting next to each other again. I frowned. What was with them?

There was a space right in between Nya and Jay. At least they had the decency to set up boundaries, something that I was going to take advantage of. I plopped down on the ground. It was a little cramped, but I wasn't going to let that stop me.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," I said to Nya.

"Hey! I was sitting there!" Jay complained.

I gave him an apologetic shrug. "I want to sit next to my sister. Is that a problem?"

Jay huffed, but said nothing. My argument was sound, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"You didn't have to do that," Nya whispered to me.

I raised my eyebrows, pretending not to know what she was talking about. She glared in response. I took a bite of my lunch so I wouldn't have to reply. I kept on eating until Nya finally looked away.

I looked up from my plate and noticed something strange. Cole wasn't eating. He was looking at something, his face pale.

"What is it, Cole?" I asked.

He looked up to find that everyone was staring at him. Cole sighed. "My dad wants to visit the school over break."

"Seriously?" Jay asked. "After all that work we did to get those pictures?" Technically, Jay didn't do much of anything, except keep Nya busy, but that didn't keep him from complaining about it.

"Seriously," Cole replied. "He mailed a letter to the school and everything."

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "I'll come up with something. You guys have done enough already."

"Maybe you should tell him the truth," Nya suggested.

"I concur," Zane agreed. "Lying only worsens the situation." He spoke from experience, as Zane's father lied to him for most of his life.

Cole shook his head. "No way. My father would kill me. Trust me."

"If he's coming to the school, you won't have much of a choice," Nya said.

"Leave Cole alone," Lloyd snapped. "If he doesn't want to, then you can't force him into it." That shocked us into silence. Even Cole looked surprised. Lloyd usually kept quiet when we were talking about personal things.

"Well, whatever you decide, we'll support you," I said at last.

Everyone nodded. "We're your friends, and we just want to help you," Nya added.

I looked at Lloyd to let him know that those words applied to him too. He sighed in response, but of course, the bell rang, so that was the end of that.

* * *

The rest of the day, I read and practiced spells, but my mind was firmly fixed on Lloyd and Cole.

Fortunately, the second year was still staying in the Fire Dorm, even though he could do all the elements. So instead of getting dinner, I sat in common room and waited for Lloyd to come back.

I spotted my little friend slip in through the door. I jumped to my feet and dashed after him.

"Lloyd, wait!" I called.

He slowed down to a stop, but didn't look at me. "What is it, Kai?" he asked.

I thought it was best to start generic. I didn't want to stir up a bees' nest if I didn't have to. "I was wondering how you've been doing?"

"Fine." His tone told me to back off, and leave him alone. I guess he figured the conversation was over, since he started walking again, but I wasn't giving up yet.

"That's good," I said. "So classes are going okay?"

"Yep." He picked up the pace, but I matched his stride.

"None of the teachers bothering you?" The stair to the boy's dormitory was coming up fast. If I didn't hurry this up, Lloyd was going get away.

"Why would they be bothering me?" Lloyd snapped, looking at me for the first time. I hit a nerve.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know. Professor Yang can be a real pain sometimes. It's like he's trying to torture us."

Lloyd breathed a sigh of relief. He thought I was talking about Garmadon, which I was, in a round-a-bout way, but I didn't want to upset him just yet. I had learned from Nya that sometimes a tactful approach worked better.

"So…" I said, reminding Lloyd of my original question.

He shook his head. "No, not really." Was that a hint of hesitation in his tone I detected?

I raised my eyebrows to let the second year know I didn't believe him. "I'm only asking because I care," I said, taking a slightly different tact.

Lloyd sighed, and looked around at the common room. It was seven o'clock. People were sitting at tables, working on last minute essays, talking with their friends, or even eating a late dinner. I understood. This was not a good place to have a private conversation. I took my friend by the shoulder, and led him up the stairs.

He didn't resist as I took him to my dorm room. It was empty, and I knew my fellow roommates well enough to know they would see us talking and walk the other way.

I let him sit on my bed, while I remained standing. I gave him a moment before asking, "So are you alright? You've been kind of distant."

Lloyd sighed, and leaned back against the wall. "I know, I know. It's just- you wouldn't understand."

I gritted my teeth. Being patient and loving was hard. Part of me wanted to demand what was wrong and stop tip-toeing around, but Nya's voice held me back.

I took a deep breath, and said as nicely as I could, "Try me."

Lloyd tilted his forward to look me in the eyes. "It's Garmadon," he admitted painfully.

I figured that. "What did he do?" I asked.

"Before school started, he just showed up out of nowhere and expected me to welcome him back like nothing was wrong. And then he tries to make me an active participant in class and embarrassed me in front of everyone. He's just so annoying!"

"I'm sorry, Lloyd." I didn't know what to say, but I wanted to make Lloyd feel better so badly, it hurt. "If there's anything I can do…"

He nodded. I hoped that meant he understood what I was trying to say. "I'll let you know."

Lloyd forced a smile and pushed himself off the bed. He walked passed me to the door, as debated whether or not to say one last thing. A creak groaned in my ears. It was now or never.

"And Lloyd," I called, "You can trust us. There's a reason we all went to meet Garmadon with you. You don't have to face this alone." I paused.

Lloyd turned. "Thanks, Kai. I appreciate it." I could tell he really meant it.

I smiled and nodded. Now I could let him go. I collapsed on my bed and let out a huge pent up breath. That was a lot harder than it needed to be. But it all worked out in the end.

* * *

A few days later, I came in to lunch like normal, only to find myself walking into a conversation. Lloyd was asking for advice about how to deal with someone who wouldn't leave him alone. Everyone was very eager to help.

Jay was still talking when the bell rang. Nya threw in her two cents worth as she hurried out the door, and even Zane gave Lloyd a word of encouragement as he left. I smiled knowingly at Lloyd, silently telling him, _"I told you so."_

He shook his head, and walked away from me. Still, I caught a ghost of a smile on his face. Summer break was coming in a week, and I had a feeling it was going to be a good one.

But one day, I went up to my dorm and an owl was sitting in my window, a letter on its leg. I glanced at it. A gasp escaped my throat. It was an emergency letter from Cole. His dad was here.

* * *

 **AN: Oh snap! How is Cole going to get out of this one? Stay tuned next week! Thanks for your support! Merry Christmas!**


	6. Chapter 5-To the Rescue!

Chapter 4: To the Rescue!

* * *

I raced down the stairs, two at a time, the parchment crumpled and wet in my hand. Cole's letter said to meet him at the wooden entrance doors as fast as possible. I knew my friend couldn't stall for long. I didn't pause for breath as I sprinted down corridor after corridor. At last, I made it.

I heard Cole's voice and someone else, his dad, I think. I burst outside. "Cole!" I shouted, ready to rescue my friend at a moment's notice.

He turned to look at me, his horror breaking through his fake expression of calm. Cole's father glanced down sharply. He was a slightly older gentleman, dressed in a brown suit and a red bowtie.

"Who's this?" he asked.

"Dad, this is Kai, my friend. He's, uh, a part of my quartet." Cole made up quickly. His father was still staring at me. Cole gestured for me to pick up where he left off.

Is Cole serious right now? What was I supposed to say?

"That's right," I said. "We preform together." My friend nodded encouragingly, so I went on. "In fact, we're rehearsing for a special event in October."

"Really? Can I come?" Cole's father asked.

Cole shook his head with a silent furry.

"Um. No. Sorry," I said flatly. I tried to think of a good excuse.

Fortunately, Zane and Jay arrived on the scene, sparing me from replying.

"Ah," Cole's father said. "You must be the rest of my son's quartet."

Jay gaped and looked at Cole and I for confirmation. I nodded, and he looked at me like I was insane. I glanced at Cole's father to make sure he hadn't caught on to the holes in our story.

"Yes. We were just about to rehearse when we learned of your arrival," Zane replied.

Cole's father nodded. "Of course. Would you mind if I watched you? I might be able to give input for your event in October."

"It's fine, Dad. We're going to practice by _ourselves_ ," Cole emphasized. "So you can just go home and leave us alone."

His father ignored the bitterness in Cole's tone. "I'm just concerned about you. We can't have history repeating itself."

Cole glowered at his father. "I was seven years old, Dad! What did you expect?"

The older man took a step back at the venom in his son's words. I looked over at the others, and they seemed just as uncomfortable as I was. I wished Cole would have this conversation in private.

"Son, I just thought—"

"You thought wrong!" Cole snapped.

I backed toward the entrance. This sounded like an old argument that wasn't about to end any time soon. "We should probably go…" I suggested.

"Yeah," Jay said. "We really need that rehearsal time."

Cole's father frowned. "At least let me hear the sweet sound of harmony before you go. I would love to hear my son sing."

I looked at the others, then back at Cole's dad. He had his hand cupped to his ear, a small smile spreading across his face. I hesitated, then started singing, "Harmony—"

"Harmony—" Jay joined in, a few notes higher.

"Harmony—"

"Harmony."

Our voices grated in my ears, and I'm sure it was even worse for Cole's father. I backed off toward the door. "We really should be rehearsing now. See you, Mr…" I trailed off.

"Call me Lou," Cole's father suggested.

"See you, Lou," I finished awkwardly. And with that, we backed down the hallway until it was safe enough to run far, far away from that embarrassment.

"That was close," Jay panted. "Do you think he bought it?"

I don't think anyone would have bought our terrible performance, but I tried to be optimistic. "I think so."

Cole sighed. "As long as he doesn't come back, we'll be fine."

"We just have to wait until October," Zane reminded us.

* * *

It turned out, that Lou did come back, every day. We had several close calls where he nearly got in the building, but most of the time we managed to keep him away. It got so bad; we had to take turns dealing with him. Nya wanted to tell Master Wu. A muggle shouldn't be so close to a wizarding school, after all.

But we had Cole's father under control. So it couldn't be too terrible, right? September couldn't go fast enough for me. Every day was a battle not to be discovered or let something slip, and it was getting harder to give Lou excuses not to come into school, or hear us sing. At last, it was October. We were getting out of here.

We told Lou that we were going over seas for some singing/talent show or another, and that pacified him a bit. The day we were supposed to leave, I walked out the doors to meet Cole's father for the last time. I told him today was the big day, and unfortunately Cole was so busy that he couldn't come down to say goodbye himself. We chatted meaninglessly for a bit, and then I told him I had to go. Lou frowned, but nodded in understanding. I took a deep breath, forced a smile and politely closed the giant wooden doors behind me.

"See you when you get back," Cole's father called.

"Yeah," I replied. When the doors were firmly closed and I was sure he was gone, I whispered. "Not."

This double life was too hard to live. We still had homework to do, on top of all of our Tri-wizard Tournament preparations, because we had to "be on our best behavior in front of the other schools" as the teachers put it. When we got back, Cole, Zane, Jay and I agreed we would end this charade once and for all.

I walked in the dining hall for lunch. All the students were supposed report to their houses. We would be dismissed in groups, so as not to flood the ship, Destiny's Bounty. It was also a great way to make sure no one got left behind. All the teachers were coming, so students had no choice but to come. That didn't stop people from trying though. It was going to be a two-day flight, but fortunately, there was no shortage of things to do. There was training equipment, a giant control room, and massive bunk-bed quarters. This place seemed to have everything. In one room, I even spotted video games, which Jay was quick to take advantage of.

At last, we landed in a giant lake, near the large castle of a school. The other school arrived in a carriage pulled by flying horses. They went first, and then our school came in afterwards. We piled in behind the older students, who put on a fantastic show displaying their elemental powers. Once the show finished, we were allowed to sit at any of the four tables with the Hogwarts students. I didn't care where I sat, as long as it was with the rest of my friends, and far away from Chen.

The Hogwarts headmaster gave a speech welcoming us to the school, and then another man, Barty Crouch, told us the rewards—a trophy/cup thing, and some amount of galleons, plus school pride— and the rules of the Tri-wizard Tournament, including the age restriction of seventeen. Master Wu had told us all of this, but I guess the Hogwarts kids hadn't, because several of them complained loudly. Some even stood up, booing and yelling that the rules weren't fair.

Once the headmaster, Dumbledore, quieted everyone down, he unveiled the Tri-wizard Cup, which was nice enough, I guess. It glimmered in the candlelight of the Great Hall, with decorative handles. Then Dumbledore used his wand to remove the layers covering the Goblet of Fire.

Tongues of blue flame danced on the rim of the stone goblet. Dumbledore looked out at the students.

"Anyone wishing to submit themselves to the tournament need only write their name upon a piece of parchment and throw it in the flame before this hour on Thursday night."

That was tomorrow. Things were moving a lot quicker than I thought. Everyone had just got here.

Dumbledore continued, "Do not do so lightly! If chosen, there's no turning back. As from this moment, The Tri-wizard Tournament has begun."

Once he finished, the headmaster drew an age line with his wand. Then, food appeared on plates, just like they did at home. I was surprised; the dishes were mostly the same too. The glasses filled with a strange liquid I had never seen before. One of the Hogwarts students told me it was pumpkin juice. I wrinkled my nose and stuck to my fish and miso soup.

As people finished their dinner, students made their way to the front, encouraged by friends, and put their name into the goblet. The crowd roared as more and more people crossed the line and dropped parchment into the fire.

I covered my ears. Was Hogwarts always this loud? I was used to the quiet of the library and the gentle murmuring of breakfast. This was insane.

Jay poked me, and opened his hands to reveal several pairs of earplugs. I took two gratefully. I looked at Nya to see if she needed some, but I shouldn't have bothered. Jay had already taken care of her. She was probably the first one to receive his special attention. I sighed.

Once everyone finished, I walked back to the Destiny's Bounty with my friends. I collapsed on my stiff bunk mattress and went right to sleep. The next day, I snuck into the Great Hall for breakfast. It was noisy and full of older students putting their name in the Goblet of Fire. I tried to take my food out to the library like normal, but one teacher gave me a look. A real nasty look. That was the end of that.

There wasn't much to do until the names from all the schools were called. I spent my time wandering up and down staircases, trying not to get lost. I walked down stone corridors with suits of armor. I swear one of them moved, but maybe I was just having horrible flashbacks of the stone warriors. Finally, it was time for the Halloween Feast, and the names of the contestants would be revealed.

Dumbledore stood by the goblet, and Master Wu, and the Beauxbaton Headmaster stood next to him. The lights dimmed, leaving only the flames of the goblet.

Suddenly, the blue fire turned red, and a piece of parchment was spat out of the goblet. Dumbledore caught the piece of paper, and the flames died back down to normal.

"The champion for Beauxbaton is Fluer Delacour," he announced.

All the Beauxbaton's students cheered as a blond, confident young woman marched up to the front, where she was congratulated and led away someplace else.

Then the goblet turned red again, and out came another parchment. "The Hogwarts's champion is Cedric Diggory!" Dumbledore called.

Claps and cheers rang across the hall as the champion made his way up to the front. He too, was led off. Now there was one school left. Ours.

"Who do you think it'll be?" Jay asked.

"I don't know," Cole answered, his mouth full of the local Halloween food.

I had no idea either. I didn't know much about the older students at our school, but hopefully they would do well.

Once again, Dumbledore caught the parchment as it fluttered down. "The champion from Master Wu's school is Lloyd Garmadon!"

* * *

AN: Oh no! Lloyd's been chosen! Why and how? Read more to find out! Thanks for your support!


	7. Chapter 6-Saving Lloyd

**Chapter 5: Saving Lloyd**

* * *

The hall fell silent. I looked at the second year in horror. No. No. Lloyd was too young. He couldn't have put his name in the cup. That's what the age line was for. There had to be some kind of mistake.

"Lloyd Garmadon!" Dumbledore called again louder. The other schools' students began whispering to themselves.

I looked up at the front. Wu and the other teachers stood stock still in shock. Well, all except for Garmadon.

He marched up to Dumbledore, red eyes blazing. "Let me see that," the former dark lord spat.

The headmaster offered it to him, and Garmadon practically snatched the paper out of the poor man's hands. Then, the warlord's bluster faded as he stared at the small parchment. He muttered something I couldn't make out.

There was no mistake. Lloyd was entered into the tournament. Wu came to console his brother. They argued quietly, but then Garmadon backed down. His face was fixed into a deep frown, but he stepped back into his former place off to the side. Neither professor moved to stop the proceedings.

"Lloyd Garmadon, come up here please," Dumbledore repeated.

I looked back at Lloyd, who finally gotten up from the bench.

"You don't have do this," Nya hissed as he passed.

"Don't do it, buddy!" Jay added.

Lloyd kept walking. Anything I had to say stuck in my throat. I couldn't believe that after all we went through last year, he was getting thrown into this dangerous contest. I watched as he made his way to the front of the hall.

The second year managed to stand tall, despite the whispers and gasps at his age.

I waited for someone to say that he couldn't compete, that he was too young and they would have to choose someone else, but no one did. Lloyd was whisked away with the other contestants. The school headmasters followed, and Garmadon trailed like a stormy cloud behind them, furious that his twelve-year-old son had been entered into the dangerous Tri-wizard tournament.

I understood how he felt. I promised Lloyd I would help him, and now he had to get through three deadly tasks with only one year of schooling under his belt. I wished I knew what was going on right now.

I slipped off the bench, and tried to edge discreetly past Cole and Zane to the end of the hall where the contestants had gone. My friends glanced at me as I brushed past them.

"I'm going to the bathroom," I lied quickly. I didn't think my friends would approve of my eavesdropping. Zane tilted his head, but let me go, thankfully. I darted out of the room as quickly as I dared and looked for the dark trail of Garmadon's robes.

There! I ran to the left and tried to trail the professors without being discovered. One by one, they all filed into a single room and closed the door before I could follow them. So, I pressed my ear against the door and decided to wait.

After a bit of yelling and clearing up the others confusion, Wu asked, "Lloyd, did you put your name in the goblet?"

"No." Lloyd's voice was so faint I had to strain my ears to make it out.

"Did you ask an older student to put in for you?" Wu continued.

"No."

"He is lying!" A heavily accented voice broke in. "There is no way he could have got into the tournament otherwise!"

"Leave my son alone!" Garmadon snarled. "He's just a second year. Clearly, someone put his name in to get him killed!"

"Are you making an accusation?" Dumbledore clarified.

"Yes I'm making an accusation! Honestly, this is clearly dark magic at work here."

"Of course you can tell!" The accented woman said, who I guessed was French, broke in again. "Since you have experience yourself."

"How dare you!"

"Brother," Wu interrupted sharply. The room grew quiet for a moment. Then the old professor continued, "It would take a Confundus Charm of enormous strength to confuse the goblet, more strength than a second year would possess. Lloyd is not at fault here."

The French woman didn't protest, so I guessed they grudgingly agreed on that point.

"But the question still remains," Dumbledore said, "Should he compete in the tournament?"

"Absolutely not!" Garmadon said hotly.

"He's just a child," Wu agreed. It sounded like the two of them were trying to keep Lloyd out of the tournament. Maybe everything was going to be all right after all.

"Unfortunately, once a person is chosen by the Goblet of Fire, they enter into a magical contract that cannot be broken. Whether he meant to or not, Lloyd Garmadon is officially a champion," a new voice said.

I immediately disliked him.

"Who cares about the rules?" Garmadon protested. "This is my son's life we're talking about here! Letting him compete is suicide!"

I silently cheered Garmadon on from my vantage point behind the door. These people were wizards, not killers. Surely they would listen to reason.

"I'm afraid your son doesn't have a choice. He _is_ a champion of the Tri-wizard Tournament. There's no going back."

I really hated this guy.

"But—"

"Brother," Wu warned quietly.

"Champions, the first task will occur in two weeks. You are only allowed a wand. No other magical objects are allowed," the man said.

"You may leave now," Dumbledore said, which was my cue to scurry back to the dinning hall.

My heart raced. Only two weeks to prepare Lloyd for whatever dangerous task lay ahead of him. I racked my brain for any useful spells I could teach my friend. If Lloyd couldn't get out of the tournament, then I was going to do everything in my power to make sure he came out alive.

I sat back down and tried to eat some more food, but my appetite was gone. I just kept thinking about Lloyd as I pushed rice from one side of my plate to the other.

"That was a long bathroom break," Cole remarked. Zane gave me a pointed look. Neither of them bought my story.

"Uh," I stuttered, "Well, you see, while I was in there, um, there was this guy—"

"Whatever, I don't wanna know about your bathroom problems," Jay conveniently interrupted.

We went back to eating in silence. It seemed nobody else was hungry either, except for Cole.

After a moment, Nya asked the question we all didn't dare ask. "So what are we going to do about Lloyd?"

"I was thinking we could teach him some of the spells we know," I suggested.

"Like what?" Jay asked.

"Like…I don't know." I admitted. Nothing useful was really coming to mind.

"We can teach him how to master his powers, and I've been reading some books that might be helpful," Zane offered.

"Plus we can teach him what we learn during the year," Cole said.

I sighed. Worry filled my mind. We were only fourth years ourselves. "I just hope it'll be enough."

Nya put a hand on my shoulder. "We'll get through this," she said.

I nodded. At least we had a plan in place. "Yeah," I replied.

* * *

The next day, we all doubled our efforts in class. Zane spent all of lunch reading thick books about advanced magic. I tried to pick up some of his books too, but they were way over my head.

Every other minute was spent training Lloyd. We drilled him with charms, elemental powers, advanced techniques, and anything else we could think of. I just hoped it would be enough. Who knew what the first task would be…

* * *

 **AN: Tune in next week to see what the first task will be! Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 7-Into the Fire

**Chapter 6: Into the Fire**

* * *

"Good luck, Lloyd," I said. I walked him up to the contestant tent, but this was as far as I could go.

He swallowed and looked up at me. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be."

I put my hand on the second year's shoulder. He was trembling. "Hey," I consoled my friend. "Don't worry. I'll be watching out for you. You'll be okay."

Lloyd nodded, but the trembling didn't stop.

"Just remember what we taught you."

Lloyd nodded again.

A voice from inside the tent broke the silence. "Come on contestants, gather round." It was that annoying man who put Lloyd through all this in the first place.

I glowered him for a moment before turning back to my friend. I took my hand off his shoulder. "You're going to do great," I said, both for his benefit and mine.

A ghost of grin splayed on Lloyd's face. "Sure," he replied, and then he disappeared into the tent. I sighed, wishing I was going instead of the second year, but I couldn't fight this battle for him.

I slipped up into the stands and looked for the rest of my friends, who had saved me a seat. Nya waved me down. We were almost at the top of the risers, and from here I could see what the first task was with terrible clarity.

Dragons. Real fire breathing dragons. Three of them were being kept in a pit near the arena, one for each contestant. My heart sunk into my stomach. No amount of training could prepare Lloyd for this.

One of the judges stood up from his box. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Ludo Bagman, and I give you the first task, dragons!" He paused for dramatic effect before continuing. "The contestants must steal the golden egg from their own dragon without damaging the other eggs to receive the most points."

Ludo Bagman looked out at the arena to make sure the first dragon, a bluish gray thing, was set up in the center on her nest. "Let the first task—"

A loud cannon blast cut the poor judge off. He shrugged, as if to say, 'what can you do?' and then sat back down. I looked toward the tent as the Hogwarts champion emerged onto the field.

"Go, Cedric, Go!" His peers yelled.

The dragon snapped and roared as Cedric edged toward the nest. He dodged behind a boulder, and whipped out his wand. He whispered a charm, and transfigured a nearby rock into a…dog?

"Is he serious?" Jay asked.

"I guess," I replied.

The golden lab yipped and pranced in front of the dragon, tempting it forward. While the dragon was distracted, Cedric darted toward the nest. He was almost there, when the beast turned around. The crowd shrieked.

It spewed fire, catching the Hogwart's champion on the arm. He winced, but kept sprinting toward the nest, till he grabbed the golden egg. The five judges murmured amongst themselves for a moment before giving their marks. 38 total.

Next was Fluer, the pretty French lady, who was still wearing her fancy uniform to fight her dragon. She flourished her wand and charmed the dragon to sleep. She edged toward the nest, right as beast snored and caught her skirt on fire. Fluer stomped and rolled, until at last she just shot a jet of water to put the flames, like a cheap version of elemental magic. In the end, she got the egg, and the judges gave her 33 points.

I swallowed. It was Lloyd's turn. They brought the beast out, roaring and struggling every step of the way. Why did he have to get the toughest dragon? He was twelve years old for crying out loud!

I looked over at my friends, who looked twice as worried as I did. The cannon rumbled in my ears, and Lloyd edged out of the tent. The whole arena went still. The dragon spotted the invader and breathed a massive bout of flames at him. Lloyd dove for cover and hid as the blaze kept coming and coming.

I jumped out of my seat. My friend was in trouble. "USE YOUR POWERS!" I yelled.

"You got this, Lloyd!" Cole called, picking up where I left off.

Soon, all of us were shouting encouragement, until Lloyd darted out from behind the rock, blasting water from his hands to quench the flames.

"Yes!" Nya called.

I couldn't believe it! Lloyd was beating the dragon back. He was using all five elements to force the dragon off its nest so he could grab the egg. Earth to keep the beast off balance, fire and lightning to attack, and finally, ice and water to counter the flames.

The dragon was getting desperate. It was trapped head to toe in ice, and Lloyd was almost to the nest. I was practically jumping up and down with excitement. Lloyd was going to make it. He might even win at this rate!

 _Crack!_

The dragon reared its ugly head. The remaining ice shattered. Lloyd froze. The beast was almost on top him. It opened its mouth, revealing its horrible row of teeth.

"I can't watch!" Jay cried.

I couldn't tear my eyes away. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. Lloyd lifted his arms in front of him like a shield. I ran to the end of the aisle and took the stairs two at a time. I was not going to let Lloyd die. I promised I would look after him.

Green energy crackled between Lloyd's hands, and pulsed in ball toward the angry dragon. The beast flew backwards, and for a moment nobody moved. Even the crowd fell silent.

Then, "Lloyd, the golden egg!" It was Zane, the one voice of reason in our little group.

The second year snapped out of his trance, and darted toward the nest before the mother woke up. He lifted his prize above his head, and our school went wild.

"That's my son!" Garmadon yelled at the top of his lungs. "He defeated a Hungarian Horntail!" I looked over at the teachers' booth, where everyone except Master Wu was watching, since he was one of the judges. Garmadon's face was a mix of pure joy and relief to see his son alive and well.

I looked back at the field, where the second year was already being swarmed by a heap of fans. I quickly made my way through the crowd and lifted my little friend onto my shoulders.

"I knew you could do it," I told him, craning my neck to see my friend's face.

He smiled down at me, and I grinned back. I waded back over toward the judges' box to see his marks. The rest of our friend group came to join us, right as the announcer, Ludo Bagman waved his wand in the air, forming a ten, the highest mark.

"I can't believe it," Lloyd said, "I wasn't that good."

"Don't complain about it, just take it," Jay scolded.

"Besides, that green magic _was_ amazing!" Nya encouraged.

Next was Barty Crouch. He gave Lloyd a seven, so did Dumbledore. Wu gave a generous nine, and last was Madame Maxime. Right now, Lloyd had the same score as Fleur, and only needed few more points to tie with Cedric. The French judge could put the second year in first place!

She waved her wand and…and…it's a…six? Not the greatest score, but as I did the math in my head, a grin split across my face.

"Lloyd, you're in first place!" I exclaimed.

"What?"

"You scored 39 points, while Cedric scored 38," Zane explained. My neck was getting sore, so I set the second year down on the ground. Lloyd didn't look convinced, even though Zane's math was flawless.

"What about Fleur?" Lloyd asked.

Jay laughed. "Dude, she only got 33 points. You've won!"

Lloyd looked around. The crowd was going wild, and the other schools were staring in shock.

At last, he just shook his head. "I don't believe it."

"Everyone, settle down, I have an important announcement," Barty Crouch called. "Contestants, the golden egg you just won contains a vital clue for the next task. Without it, you will have little chance of succeeding." He stared at each contestants before continuing. "The second task will be held on the 24 of February. We will see you all then."

And with that, the crowd was dismissed. We made our way back to the Bounty.

"So what do you think the clue is?" Cole asked.

"I don't know," Lloyd replied.

"Well, let's find out," I suggested. "Open the egg."

Lloyd pulled the clasp, and a horrid shriek pierced the air. My ears throbbed. Then, just as soon as it started, the shriek stopped. We all looked at each other.

"What was that?" Jay demanded.

"The clue?" I replied uncertainly.

"How are we supposed to figure that scream out?" Cole asked.

"Perhaps it's some kind of code," Zane suggested.

"How do we crack it?" I asked him. We needed to figure out this clue as quickly as possible so we could train for the next task. Silence greeted my question.

After a moment, Lloyd yawned. "For now, can I get some rest? Fighting that dragon took a lot out of me."

"Yeah."

"Of course."

"Get all the rest you need."

Once Lloyd was gone we all looked at each other. How were we going to get our friend through this one?

* * *

 **AN: The tasks will be pretty much the same as Harry Potter. But there will be some differences too. Thanks for sticking with me! Please review.**


	9. Chapter 8-Double Trouble

**Interlude: Double Trouble (Lloyd's POV)**

* * *

Lloyd slipped out of the Destiny's Bounty early in the morning. If he didn't, his new fans would swarm the second year. Ever since he defeated the dragon with green energy, students from all schools congratulated him, and begged Lloyd to tell them his secret.

He shook his head as he made his way to the library. He didn't even know how he summoned that magic. Lloyd had tried to talk to his uncle about it, but Wu replied with cryptic words like destiny, some old prophecy, the chosen one, and other things that were way over the twelve-year-old's head. Lloyd wanted answers, and no one seemed to have them.

His friends were no closer to solving the riddle of the egg, despite their many promises. Lloyd knew they were trying their best, and it wasn't like he had any better ideas. Although, chucking the egg at the wall was not Kai's best plan.

Lloyd laughed to himself. The sound echoed in the empty library. He turned the corner; his eyes locked on a comfortable chair where a stack of books was already waiting for him.

"Hello, L-loyd!"

Lloyd jumped. His father was leaning on bookshelf, a toothy grin plastered on his face.

He glared at Garmadon. He was the last thing the second year wanted to see. "What do you want?"

"To say to hello to the winning contestant in the Tri-wizard Tournament, of course! We haven't gotten a chance to talk since you defeated that dragon," Garmadon explained.

 _Because I was avoiding you_ , Lloyd thought. Out loud, he asked, "How did you find me?"

Garmadon waved one of his four hands. "Details, details. Come on, we have a lot to talk about."

Lloyd glared hard at the former warlord. " _You_ have a lot to talk about. _I_ have a lot of reading to do. So, if you'll excuse me."

He slipped around his dad and walked as fast as possible, and pulled the first book off the stack before he even sat down. The second year felt Garmadon's eyes boring into him, but Lloyd just buried his nose deeper into his book.

"What'cha ya reading?" Garmadon asked.

Silence. Then Lloyd slouched down in his chair. He skimmed through most of the book, and it seemed that this one was no good either. He set it down with a sigh and picked up the next one, and the next, and the next…

"Hey! I was going to read that!" Lloyd demanded as his father snatched the last book in his stack.

Garmadon looked at it for all of two minutes before putting it down, but he didn't give to his waiting son. Oh no. Instead, the dark wizard held the book loosely in his upper right hand.

"L-loyd, do you need help with that little clue?" Garmadon asked causally. "I have a few suggestions—"

"I don't need your help!" Lloyd snapped. "And my name is Lloyd! The second L is silent!"

Garmadon blinked. Everything about him, his stance, his look of innocent surprise, that ridiculous war helmet that he insisted on wearing, grated on the second year's nerves. Lloyd huffed and ran from the library.

He didn't stop running till he made it back to his bed. Everyone was at breakfast so he had the whole place to himself. After calming down a bit, Lloyd reflected on what happened. Perhaps, he had been a bit unfair. It had been weeks since he had first gotten the egg and he was no closer to solving it. He should have at least listened to what his dad had to say.

Lloyd closed his eyes. It was too late now. Besides the next task was still two months away, plenty of time to figure out the clue. He cracked one eye open. The golden egg was taunting him from its place on his nightstand, daring the second year to open it. Lloyd stared at the egg for a moment, trying to work out its secrets.

His stomach rumbled. Lloyd groaned and got out of bed. Maybe he'd go down and get a quick breakfast. He slipped into the Great Hall. Most people had stopped eating, and instead were listening to a public announcement being given by one of the Hogwarts professors.

"As part of the tradition of the Tri-wizard Tournament, we will be hosting the Yule Ball on Christmas Night."

Lloyd snuck in, not really paying attention. He was far too young to be part of a formal dance. The second year slipped into a seat next to Kai and took a sip of the pumpkin juice. The Hogwarts beverage was surprisingly good.

"—and the contestants will lead the dance," the announcer continued.

Lloyd spewed his drink in Jay's face. "What?" he cried.

"Dude! What was that for?" Jay snapped. He had been talking to Nya and wasn't too happy to be interrupted. Lloyd muttered a quick sorry, and then took off after the professor that made the announcement.

"I don't have to dance, right? I'm just a second year!" Lloyd begged.

The professor gave him a stern look. "You are a contestant of the Tri-wizard tournament. You will do as you are expected, unless you want to make an utter fool of yourself in front of the three schools dancing by yourself."

"But—"

"End of discussion."

Lloyd then tried talking to Wu, but he told his nephew that every contestant had to attend the Yule Ball, although he didn't have to get a date if he didn't want to. He sighed. If he was going to the dance at all, he wasn't going by himself.

The second year even went to his dad, desperate to get anyone on his side. However, Garmadon just winked and told Lloyd he could give him advice with the ladies.

Lloyd sighed and shook his head. "No thanks," he muttered.

Utterly exhausted, he collapsed in his bed. It seemed he now had two things to worry about: the egg and the dance. He couldn't decide which was worse.

* * *

 **AN: Sorry this was late! I forgot was day it was since I was off school. This is a bit short-but it's an interlude. The next chapter will be much longer! Thanks for sticking with me! Reviews are always welcome!**


	10. Chapter 9-Solving the Clue

Chapter 9: Solving the Clue

* * *

I couldn't believe we had to go to this dance. All the professors insisted we go represent our school pride, and that meant getting a date, which meant wooing a girl, and then actual dancing. I shuddered. The professors showed us how to waltz and I just ended up tripping over my own feet. I wondered who I would ask. There was that hot, red-headed girl from Hogwarts in our year…

"What are you thinking about, Kai?" Nya asked.

I blinked. Nya invited me to go to the library to try to crack the mystery of the egg, but my first book still lay cracked on the title page.

"Just thinking about the Yule Ball."

"Still need a date?" Nya asked sympathetically.

I nodded. "And you?"

Nya's face turned pink. "Someone asked me."

I sighed. My little sister got a date before me. "Who is it?"

Nya went from pink to red. "Oh, just, some guy," she tried to answer casually.

Okay…so it's probably someone I don't like. That's the only reason Nya wouldn't tell me flat out.

"Nya, who is this guy?" I asked again.

She looked down at her book. "We really should be helping Lloyd."

I looked back at my own book: _Shrieks and the Creatures Who Make Them_. I knew Nya was right; it was already mid December and we were no closer to figuring out the clue than when we started. We should be helping Lloyd train for the next task, not stuck here in the library, but I couldn't help but worry about my younger sister. I didn't want anything terrible happening to her again after the Great Devourer incident her first year.

A clap of a book and a sigh of frustration flooded my ears. I looked over at my sister. "Didn't find anything?"

"No. Did you?"

"Nope. Just finished reading about banshees, but I still got a long way to go."

After few chapters, the silence began to weigh heavily on my ears. I wasn't Zane, who could read for days on end. I needed a break. I looked over at my sister, and she looked as frustrated as I felt.

"Maybe we should leave the reading to Zane," I suggested. I tried to think of something my sister might like. "Want to look at the Great Lake?"

Unlike at our school, Hogwarts wasn't filled with gardens and gentle streams. The grounds were green and well kept, but nothing like home. I had heard from other students that the lake was pretty impressive, but I had been so busy that I'd never gotten the chance.

Nya gave me a look. "In the middle of winter?"

I smiled. "It'll be fun. I'll just drop off our books first and meet you there. Besides, I can always use fire to keep us warm."

"Okay."

* * *

I went to the Destiny's Bounty and set the books on Zane's already large pile. All our friend did these days was read and come to class. I felt sorry for him; even he did take all of this on himself. I weaved back onto the grounds, when something caught my eye.

It was that girl again, sitting in the grass. Her red hair was swept back into a high ponytail, and she had her orange cloak bundled around her to fight against the chilly winter air. She was so close to me, and she was just sitting there by herself.

I paused. Nya was waiting for me, but it couldn't hurt to say hello real fast. So, I put on my winning smile, and sauntered over to the pretty girl in orange.

"Hello, there," I called.

She looked up and stared right at me. Her eyes were beautiful. I could get lost in them forever, but I forced myself to keep talking. I needed to make a good impression.

"My name is Kai. What's yours?" I asked.

"Skylor," she replied smoothly.

Skylor. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. "So, uh, Skylor…" I started.

"Yes?"

Inspiration hit me. "You cold?" I snapped my fingers and flames danced across my fingers.

"I'm a little chilly," she admitted with a playful smile.

I took that as an invitation to sit down next to her. The ground was freezing. How on earth was she doing it? I summoned some more flames, concentrating on not burning myself.

Skylor watched me, fascinated by elemental magic. She asked me some questions and I did my best to answer them.

After awhile, I extinguished the flames. It had gone from being too cold to being too toasty. I took a deep breath and looked at Skylor. It was now or never.

"You know, the Yule Ball is coming up, and I was wondering if—"

"If I would go with you?" she finished, smiling that same, intoxicating smile at me.

I blinked. "Yeah, I mean, if someone hasn't asked you already."

Skylor's expression turned mischievous. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Not quite the response I was looking for. Did that mean someone had already asked her? Was she just teasing me? Why did girls have to be so complicated?

"Uh…"

She laughed, a crisp and beautiful sound. "Don't worry. Nobody's asked me."

"So you'll go with me?" I asked hopefully.

Skylor looked at me for a moment. I looked back. _Please say yes. Please say yes._ I begged silently.

"Sure," she said at long last.

I breathed a quick sigh of relief. "Great! So, uh, see you then?" I finished lamely, not quite sure how to wrap up the conversation.

Skylor chuckled. "See you then, Kai."

I grinned and sauntered off. I did it! I got a hot date for the dance. I whistled as I walked. Skylor was so amazing and beautiful. I couldn't wait for the Yule Ball.

"KAI!" A shrill voice startled me out of my thoughts.

Nya was stomping toward me, her face red. Suddenly I remembered. I was supposed to meet her at the Great Lake. How long had I been with Skylor?

"I've been waiting for you to show up and you never did! I've been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?" Nya ranted, her breaths coming in large white clouds.

"Nya, I'm so sorry. I've been talking to Skylor, and I completely lost track of the time," I tried to explain.

"Who?"

"Skylor. My date for the dance."

Nya glared at me. "Well, while you've been spending time with your _date_ ," she spat out the word, "I was freezing by a black, boring, ice lake, because you dragged me out here in the first place, when we were supposed to be helping Lloyd!"

"I'm sorry!" I snapped. I didn't think I was gone that long. I made a mistake, so why couldn't Nya get over it?

"I got distracted," I continued, "But I'm here now. We can go someplace else if you want."

Nya shook her head. "It's too late for that, Kai." And with that, she marched past me toward the school.

"Nya!" I called, but my sister kept going. "I said I was sorry!" I yelled, trying to get her to listen to reason, but she wouldn't stop.

I sighed. Girls. I didn't get them at all. I went back to the Destiny's Bounty, putting as much distance between my sister and I as possible. If Nya didn't want to be around me, then that's her problem.

"Kai!" This time, it was Zane calling my name.

I turned slowly. At least he had smile on his face. I could use some good news right about now.

"I crossed check my sources, and I believe I have discovered the secret of the golden egg."

I grinned. After a month of no progress, this was great news. It was almost enough to cheer me up.

"That's great," I said, "So what's the clue?"

Zane glanced past my shoulders. "Where's Nya?" he asked.

I frowned. "I don't know. Why?"

Zane's smile dimmed at my tone. I winced. I didn't mean to be quite so harsh.

"I believe the shrieks are actually a mermaid's song, which can only be heard underwater," Zane explained.

"Oh," I replied. That makes sense. But I really didn't want to see Nya again, so I suggested we fill up a bath and open the egg in there. Thankfully, Zane agreed.

A few minutes later, we had a warm bath and the egg was sitting peacefully on bottom. Thankfully, we found some swimsuits. I guess Master Wu thinks of everything.

"So, do we just open it?" I asked.

Zane nodded. I took a deep breath. It's really happening. I wondered what the clue was. I reached under the water and undid the clasp. Silence.

Well, at least it wasn't shrieking. I strained my ears and leaned forward, getting as close to the water as I dared. A gurgled song was coming through the water, but I couldn't make out the words.

"I suspect we'll have to put our heads into the water to hear the clue," Zane said.

I cringed. _My head? Underwater?_ But I took a deep breath, squeezed my eyes shut, and shoved my head in the water with a splash, Zane right beside me.

 _For Lloyd_ , I told myself. Water rushed in my ears and my nose, and took everything in me not to pop back up again. _For Lloyd,_ I repeated. I forced myself to calm down and listen.

Now, I could hear the chorus of hauntingly beautiful voices, singing:

 _Come seek us where our voices sound,_

 _We cannot sing above the ground,_

 _And while you're searching ponder this;_

 _We've taken what you'll sorely miss,_

 _An hour long you'll have to look,_

 _And to recover what we took,_

 _But past an hour, the prospect's black,_

 _Too late, it's gone, it won't come back._

I shot of the water in flash and took sweet gulps of air. Zane came up much more calmly than I did, but right then I didn't care. I was just happy to get my head out of the water.

"We should go tell Lloyd what we've found," Zane suggested.

Oh right, how could I forget? "Good idea," I agreed.

* * *

We made our way through the Bounty and knocked on the second year's door, telling him the good news.

Lloyd's face lit up. "Really?" he asked.

I nodded, and told him how to find the clue for himself. Lloyd practically ran out the room to the bath. I smiled. It felt good to finally make some progress.

After Lloyd was done, we found Jay and Cole to tell them the news. I thought about including Nya, but I figured she probably didn't want to see me right now.

"So you have to stay under the lake for an hour?" Jay asked, when I finished explaining the situation.

"And find some mysterious object these merpeople have taken from you?" Cole added.

Lloyd seemed to shrink under their comments, but managed to nod firmly. "I don't know how I'm going to do it, but at least we got a month and a half to prepare," he replied.

"Perhaps Nya can assist you with this task," Zane suggested.

Jay lit up. "Yeah! I'm sure she'd be happy to help!" He looked around the room. "Where is she anyway?"

All eyes fell to me. I grit my teeth. Just because I was Nya's brother didn't mean I knew where she was all the time.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" I snapped. "I don't know where she is! I'm not her keeper."

"Whoa, calm down, Kai," Cole said.

"Did something happen between you and Nya?" Zane asked.

How did he know? I guess being an android he would be more perceptive. Everyone kept staring at me, waiting for an answer.

I sighed. "Nya and I got into a fight, but I'm sure it'll blow over. Right now, we should concentrate on helping Lloyd."

Everyone nodded.

We spent the rest of the evening looking over spells from the books in the Bounty's on board library, and practicing the ones that were useful—which wasn't many. Before long, it was too dark to read and no one wanted to stay up any later. Everyone piled out of the room as I closed my book, and stretched. I'd been sitting for way too long.

"What have you been doing?" My sister's voice froze me in tracks.

"Just doing research for spells that can help you breath underwater," I replied. I edged toward the door, trying to escape Nya's glare.

"Why?"

I took another step. "To help Lloyd in the second task," I said without thinking.

Nya's glare turned murderous. "And when were you going to tell me? The water wizard?"

Great. I tried to give Nya space and I made things worse between us. "I was going to tell you, but—"

"But you didn't think I could handle it? Because I'm your _little_ sister?" she interrupted.

I stopped moving. "That's not what I was going to say."

"Then why didn't you?" Nya said as stepped closer to me.

"Because," I hesitated. My real reason was a lame excuse, but I decided to just go for it. How could this get any worse? "I thought you didn't want to see me."

Nya folded her arms. "I was upset, Kai, but I still want to know if you solve the clue we all have been trying to solve for the past _month_. And let me guess, everybody else knew about this too?"

I looked toward the door. It was only a few feet away. I could make my escape…

"They do, don't they?" Nya repeated, answering her own question. "Why does no one tell me these things?"

I glanced back at my sister. Her face was red and her whole body was shaking; she was so mad. I didn't want to throw any of my friends in that path of rage.

"It's not their fault," I said. "I was the one who suggested we look for spells inside of trying to find you."

Now I'd done it. Nya clenched her fists and stared roaring, "How could you, Kai! I thought we were in this together! But I guess it's just an all boys club and I'm the outsider! The little girl who doesn't belong!"

"That's not true—"

"Well, fine! I don't need you boys! I'm just fine on my own!"

"Nya, that's not what—"

"Goodnight!" she snapped.

Frustration boiled in my chest. Would it hurt my sister to listen to one thing I have to say? "Can't I just explain—"

"NO!" Nya yelled.

"Listen to me!" I yelled back. Why did she have to be so difficult?

"Good. Night." She repeated and stomped away and slammed the door behind her.

I exhaled as loudly as I could, not that anyone was around to hear me. Why couldn't Nya and I get along? Maybe it was because my sister's a teenager now. I hoped we could put our differences aside and get ready for the second task. But somehow, I got the feeling this wasn't going to blow over anytime soon, despite what I told everyone else.

* * *

 **AN: Oh the drama! By the way, pairings are not a major part of this story. There aren't going to be romantic hookups. There is some light stuff, but that's about it. Sorry if that disappoints anyone. Anyway, thanks for reading and your support! Reviews are welcome!**


	11. Chapter 10-The Yule Ball

**Chapter 9: The Yule Ball**

* * *

Christmas was tomorrow, and Nya was still mad at me. It was the worst week of my life. My sister was either glaring at me or avoiding me all together. Jay was mad at me too, because I made Nya upset, and so he automatically took her side without hearing what I had to say. My other friends had no advice for me, except to apologize.

"For what?" I snapped at them, to which they just shrugged. The whole thing frustrated me to no end.

The only thing that cheered up was going to the ball with Skylor. I pulled out my special occasion suit and washed it for good measure. All Christmas day, the dance was all I could think about, much to Cole's annoyance.

"I don't get what the big deal is," he said. "It's just a dance."

"A dance that has been a Tri-Wizard Tournament tradition for centuries," Zane replied.

Cole rolled his eyes. "You sound like one of the professors."

"Do you have a date?" I asked him.

"Are you kidding me?" he laughed. "I'm only going for the food."

Typical Cole. To my surprise however, Zane and Jay both had dates. When I asked who they were, Zane said it was a fellow android named PIXAL, who was from our school, only a year above us, and Jay told me to wait and see.

"The dance is just a few hours away. You can tell me. Who is it?" I asked. But Jay just twiddled with his scarf and said he had to get ready.

Strange. But I shrugged it off and focused on seeing Skylor again. Since I was so busy helping Lloyd, I only saw her in the hallways and at lunch, which wasn't nearly enough for me. The Yule Ball would give us a chance to have some quality time together.

I put on my suit and looked at myself in the mirror one last time before heading out.

"Not bad, if I say so myself," I commented. The suit looked crisp, and I thought the tie was a nice touch. I also put a rose in my lapel, just to add a splash of color to my black and white outfit. Now, it was time to go.

I walked down with my friends. We all wore suits, except for Cole who was still in his school kimono. Once outside the great hall, I began to look around for Skylor. This place was so crowded; I kept bumping into people.

Finally, I just went to a quiet spot on the edge of the hoard and decided to wait for people to start going in. I searched for my friends in the crowd. Zane was with PIXAL who wore a purple dress hanging off her right shoulder. Part of her silver hair was pulled back in a high ponytail. She looked nice enough, but she wasn't really my type. I could hardly make out Jay, and Cole was standing by the door.

I sighed.

"Hello, Kai," someone said behind me.

I turned. It was Skylor. She looked amazing in her simple yellow orange dress that hung off her frame, without looking too baggy or too tight. Skylor also wore a modest necklace that had a yellow pendant. It matched her perfectly.

Skylor laughed. "You better close your mouth before you start drooling," she teased.

I snapped my jaw shut. I didn't even know it was open. I hope I didn't look too foolish.

"You look beautiful," I said, trying to make up for my staring.

She smiled. "Thanks. You look pretty sharp yourself," she replied, gesturing toward my suit.

I flicked the collar. "Oh, this old thing? Yeah, I thought it looked nice enough," I said. After a slight pause, I asked. "Where'd you get that necklace?"

"It was my mother's," Skylor replied, "My dad gave it to me when she passed."

"Oh." I wished I had something better to say, but 'I'm sorry' sounded shallow. "It looks really nice," I said instead.

Skylor blushed slightly. We stood in silence for a moment. This was awkward. I glanced back at the doors, which were starting to swing open.

"We should go," Skylor suggested.

I offered her my arm, and she took it. Success! I smiled wide and walked into the Great Hall. It had been completely transformed. Ahead of us, the champions were walking onto the dance floor. Lloyd was there, although he didn't have a partner. He wasn't planning to dance by himself was he? I felt sorry for the kid, being forced to come to this when he was so young.

The band began to play, and the competitors began to waltz. Lloyd did his best to mimic them, by spinning around the frosty room in careful box steps, as some of the people in crowd began to snicker, but soon, people began crowding the dance floor and nobody even noticed.

I took a deep breath. The music was picking up speed. I'm a terrible dancer. I don't know if I can do this.

"Are we going to dance or not?" Skylor asked.

"Uh, yeah, right," I stammered. Before I could change my mind, I grabbed Skylor's hand, put my other on her waist and started moving.

 _One two three. One two three_ , I repeated to myself. I just hoped I didn't step on Skylor's feet. I was just grateful when the song ended. The next song was even faster, but I didn't recognize the music. I did my best to lead the our steps anyway, but I managed to bump into three other couples and trip on Skylor's dress, even though it hardly touched the ground.

"Sorry," I muttered. "I have two left feet."

Skylor laughed. "That's all right. Just follow my lead."

I smiled weakly. Here I was trying to be cool, but I couldn't dance to save my life. Skylor on the other hand was amazing. She was graceful, beautiful, and never tripped once. After the dance was over, I asked if she wanted to get a drink, and fortunately, she agreed.

I went up to the confections line, where I saw a girl in scarlet wrap with a maroon belt and scarlet pants, with her hair cut kind of like Nya's. Next to her was Jay, who grabbed the two drinks before his date had a chance to get hers.

"Allow me," Jay said.

"I can carry my drink myself, you know," his date replied.

Her voice sounded so familiar…No. I couldn't believe it.

The date turned around.

"Nya?" I gasped.

"Kai?" Nya's eyes widened, and she looked at Jay, who stared nervously at me.

"Uh, hello, Kai, don't mind us," Jay stammered.

" _Jay_? You went to the ball with _Jay_?!" I demanded.

"Hey!" Jay protested. "I have just as much right as anyone else to ask a beautiful girl to the dance!"

Nya blushed at Jay's praise. I clenched my fist.

"That girl is my sister!" I snapped at Jay. I turned to Nya. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you wouldn't like it. You're always so over protective of me, but I can think for myself!" Nya snapped.

"I never said that you couldn't!" I retorted. I growled under my breath. Nya was so stubborn! "Why couldn't you just tell me the truth?"

"Why can't you let me make my own choices?"

"When have I forced you to do anything?"

"You clearly are trying to force me away from Jay! I love him! Why can't you accept that?"

"You can't love someone! You're only thirteen!"

"Uh, I'm going to set these down at our table, Nya, wanna join me?" Jay asked, trying to diffuse the tension.

"I'll be over in a bit," Nya answered.

I turned to Jay. "Why didn't you tell me either? I asked you who your date was and you didn't answer. I thought we were friends!"

Jay glanced down at his scarf, which contrasted with his blue suit. "I gotta go, bye."

I growled again. "Jay!" I shouted but he was already gone.

"Leave Jay alone!" Nya warned.

"I would if he had just told me the truth the first place!"

"Maybe he would have if you weren't such a hothead!"

"What?!"'

"You heard me!"

I clenched my teeth trying to think of a descent comeback. A loud crunch sounded in my ears. A crowd had gathered, and most of them were eating snacks, watching us like it was a movie. A growl tore my throat.

"Back off!" I snapped at the crowd.

"Back off? I don't think so, Kai!" Nya yelled.

"I wasn't talking to you!" I yelled back.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah really! The world doesn't revolve around you, you know!"

"Uh, Nya? Your drink is getting cold." Jay had snuck into the crowd, and now he was hesitantly tapping my sister on the shoulder.

"Get. Your. Hand. Off. My. Sister," I warned him, each word biting and cold.

Nya glared at me. "I can take care of myself, Kai." Then she turned to Jay. "Let's go."

I was left alone with a giant crowd of people staring at me. Sighing, I grabbed two hot chocolates, and headed back to the table where Skylor was still waiting.

"Took you long enough," she teased. "Was the line that long?"

I gave her a long stare. "I don't want to talk about it."

"I was only kidding, jeez," she replied.

We sipped our hot chocolates in silence.

"Do you want to dance again?" Skylor asked me.

"No," I replied truthfully.

"You're no fun," she complained.

I sighed. It wasn't her fault, and Skylor didn't deserve my sour mood.

"I got into a fight," I told her.

Skylor's eyes widened. "Oh?"

I told her everything, beginning to end.

"Your sister sounds awful," she said.

Okay, I tilted the story to make me the victim and Nya a stubborn, twisted villain, but Skylor's sympathy meant the world to me. I needed her on my side. "She's not that bad," I defended. "It's just been hard this past week. We're normally pretty close."

"I know family relationships can be hard," Skylor said, and her eyes reflected a deep pain that told me her problems were even worse than mine. "I hope you two make up soon," she finished, her hand on top of mine.

"Me too," I replied, and she squeezed my hand. I smiled at her. At least the night wasn't a complete disaster.

* * *

All of January, Nya and I were busy training Lloyd, but she kept giving me the cold shoulder and avoiding me outside of training. The second task was almost here and she still wasn't talking to me unless she absolutely had to. Her silence was worse than her yelling.

Finally, I was so desperate; I even tried apologizing. I couldn't stand this gap between us. It was like the Great Devourer incident all over again.

"Please, Nya. I shouldn't have yelled at you and I'm sorry I forgot about you by the lake and didn't tell you about the clue. I really am just a big hothead. I overreacted with Jay and I'm really sorry," I gushed.

Nya stared at me, considering what I said. I held my breath.

"Kai Umas, your presence is required in my office," a Hogwart's professor announced.

"Can it wait?" I asked. I really wanted to hear Nya's answer.

"Now." The professor left no room to argue. I sighed, and looked back at my sister.

"See you when I get back," I said.

I followed the professor out of the library to a simple room with a desk and single chair, so I was left standing. To my surprise, I wasn't the only one there. A young girl, and the lady who danced with the Hogwarts champion were here too.

"What is this?" I asked.

"All in good time, Kai. All in good time," the professor replied.

* * *

 **AN: Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I appreciate you guest reviewers-your comments are very encouraging. And thanks to everyone who favs/follows this story. It means a lot! Until next time!**


	12. Chapter 11-Under the Lake

**Interlude: At the Sound of the Cannon…(Lloyd's POV)**

* * *

Lloyd tried to suppress his nerves. He had been training for the past month and half. He could do this. All he had to do was cast a Bubble Head charm, an advanced spell that Zane found in a book, and if that failed, then Lloyd just had to control the water so a pocket of air remained around him. Simple.

Not really.

Lloyd glanced around. Where was Kai and the others when you needed them? They said they would meet him at the dock before the task began. But it was almost time to start and there was still no sign of any of them. The second year sighed.

A hand on his shoulder shocked Lloyd out of his thoughts. It was his dad, with a large toothy grin on his face.

"Hey there, L-loyd! You ready to conquer the second task?" he asked.

Lloyd edged away from his father's hand. "I guess," he replied flatly. "And my name is Lloyd. It's not that hard to pronounce."

Garmadon's face fell. "What's the matter, son? You have a plan don't you?"

"I do. It's just…complicated," Lloyd looked down at the ground. He had only preformed the Bubble Head charm correctly a couple times, not nearly enough for him to feel comfortable.

Garmadon knelt to look into his son's eyes. "If anyone can do it," he said with uncharacteristic softness, "It's my son. You can win this task, L-loyd. I have faith in you."

Lloyd didn't even bother to correct him. "Thanks, Dad." And he meant it. Just then, a cannon sounded, signaling the second task was about to start.

"Good luck, son," Garmadon said as he turned to go. Lloyd smiled and lifted a hand in response.

He weaved through the crowd to get to the edge of the dock with the other champions. Right then, his friends called his name.

He glanced over. "I got to go, guys."

"We just wanted to wish you luck," Cole said.

"And ask you if you've seen Kai," Nya added nervously.

"You haven't seen him?" Lloyd asked.

His friends shook their heads. He frowned. It wasn't like Kai to be late. Where could he be?

"Champions, you will soon be entering the Great Lake."

"Now, I really have to go," Lloyd told his friends.

"Good luck!" Jay called, but Lloyd was already at the edge of the docks where he would be jumping into the cold, black waters.

"You will have one hour to retrieve the item you've lost," The announcer said. "Once you hear the sound of the cannon, the time will begin. Ready?"

The champions nodded.

 _BOOM!_

Lloyd pulled out his wand. Better hope the Bubble Head charm works, because there's no going back now. The Second Task had begun.

* * *

 **(back to Kai's POV)**

I never saw the spell coming. The professor finished speaking, and then she just whipped out her wand and like that the whole world went black. I was starting to get some feeling back into my limbs, but I felt incredibly groggy, my eyelids 100 pounds heavier than normal.

I could feel ropes on my wrists. Had I been captured? No. That didn't make sense. The professor, no matter how strict, would have no reason to kidnap me. Unless she was connected to the Overlord. But there were others in the room too.

I tried to get a feel for my surroundings, but I couldn't move. My body felt like it was floating, but that was probably an after effect of the spell. Whatever was going on, I hoped someone would find me soon.

Suddenly, I could feel pressure on my wrist. Something was rubbing the rope back and forth, back and forth. Then, I could feel the same thing on my other wrist. Suddenly, I was free.

Someone grabbed me and we began moving slowly away, only to stop again. What was going on? My rescuer paused for what felt like forever. _Come on. Keep moving_ , I silently begged. Finally, we did, but slower than ever. But all that time gave the spell a chance to wear off. I slowly opened my eyes.

It seemed like I was still under the spell. Everything was murky, blurry, and vague, like I was in a dream or something. Someone called my name, then let go of my arm pushed me upwards. That's weird. I shouldn't be able to go up. Gravity would just pull me back down.

Unless. No. I didn't want to think about it. I looked up. The sun was dancing above me on the surface of the water. No. That couldn't be right. I couldn't be underwater. I cracked open my lips, only to get a mouthful of nasty liquid. I quickly spat it out, along with a lot of precious oxygen. My worst nightmares were coming true.

I flung out my arms and legs and pumped wildly toward the surface. My heart pounded. I pushed harder, willing myself up. I wasn't going to die. I refused to die. The sunlight danced above me.

How could something be so close, and yet so painfully far? My chest was burning. I flailed and kicked. I needed to breathe. I opened my mouth, only to find ice water pour into my lungs. I gave one last push toward the surface.

Open air greeted me. I coughed and gulped oxygen, till the burning eased. I'm alive! I made it! My limbs were heavy, and I was barely treading water, but I was alive.

Now, to get out of the water for good. I turned my head. The docks were only a few yards away, and full of people. I was going to make it! I kicked and pushed myself toward salvation. I was getting out of here.

"Help! Hel—"

I turned. A little girl was flailing in the water behind me. She was sinking fast, and if I didn't do something, she was going to die. I hesitated. Maybe one of the adults would help her. I couldn't go underwater again. I couldn't. I barely survived last time. I hated water before, but now…I don't think I could stand it.

The girl went under. I swam toward the spot where I last saw her. I promised myself I would grab her when she surfaced and then I would get out the water for good.

I waited. She wasn't coming back up. I had to make a choice. I looked around the water, but I was alone. No one was coming.

I dove. I grabbed the girl and swam back the surface as fast as I could. She coughed in my ears and flailed in my arms. The girl gasped and thrashed and kicked and I almost let go of her. Water splashed in my face. I sputtered and shook my head wildly. That was the last straw.

"I'm trying to save you!" I yelled. "Stop thrashing or we're both going to die."

She stopped. I took a deep breath, adjusted my grip, and pushed myself back as fast as I could toward the shore. I was already tired before the girl started struggling, and now each stroke was agony. I didn't know if we were going to make it. Why wasn't someone helping us?

"Kai! Are you okay?" It was Lloyd, calling from somewhere behind me.

"I will be once I'm out of the water," I shouted back. "How about you?"

"I'm okay! I'm the last one to finish the second task though. Do you need help?" he asked.

As much as I hated to admit, I could use some major assistance. My limbs felt like they were dead cold with 30 pound weights attached to them, and the girl was not helping me either.

"Yes," I replied.

Lloyd was a good swimmer, thanks to Nya's water training, and together we made it back on the docks. I crawled as far away from the edge as I could, and snatched the nearest towel and scrubbed and scrubbed until all the water was gone. I flopped down on the wood, completely exhausted.

"You saved her, even though she wasn't yours to save!"

I raised my head. The French champion was fussing over Lloyd and the girl who nearly drowned.

"My little sister!" She gushed, and then she turned to me. "And you! You helped!"

I mustered enough strength to shrug. I didn't feel heroic at all. In fact, I almost didn't help her sister. She could have drowned. All because I was afraid of the water.

Fleur ran up and pulled me into sitting position, and then planted a quick kiss on each cheek. She was incredibly warm, sending a tingling sensation throughout my whole body, and made me feel even colder when she left. I blinked at her, hoping she'd come back for a second hug.

The French champion just smiled back at me. "Thank you!" Then she and her sister disappeared into the crowd.

"KAI!"

I glanced behind me. Nya, Jay, Cole and Zane burst through the crowd.

"Where were you?"

"We thought you were dead—"

"We looked everywhere for you!"

"We were so worried!"

My friends flooded me with towels, concerns and questions. Everyone kept talking over each other and I could hardly understand any of it.

"Guys, I was under the lake, but I'm fine now," I said, trying to shut down their fussing.

Nya's eyes widened. "You were under the lake?"

I winced. After so many years together, she knew exactly what it meant. "Yeah, but it's done, and I'm fine. Really."

Nya raised her eyebrow, but fortunately she didn't say anything.

"So, what was it like under the lake?" Cole asked.

"Was it scary?" Jay asked.

I shivered. Of course it was scary! I nearly died in the thing I hate the most.

"I was out for most of it," I muttered. "Lloyd found me and that was it." I was not reliving that nightmare again. Nya folded her arms. She knew I wasn't telling everything, and I was going to be in for it later.

"We will now announce the scores for the second task," one of the judges called.

Everyone turned to Lloyd. I breathed a sigh of relief now that the attention was off me. For once, I was content to hang in the back, far from the water's edge. I hoped Lloyd did well; it would be the only thing that would make this worth while.

"In first place, with 47 points, is Cedric Diggory," the judge announced. The Hogwarts' students roared and lifted their champion in the air, chanting his name like crazy.

The announcer cleared his throat, and gradually the noise died away, but Cedric Diggory continued sitting on his peer's shoulders. "In second place, is Lloyd Garmadon, for not only did he save his hostage, but also rescued Fleur's. For this outstanding display of moral fiber, Lloyd earns 45 points."

"Yes!" I hollered, but my voice was lost among the hundreds of voices cheering for the second year. I saw Garmadon pumping his four arms in the air, a toothy grin splitting his face. He was pushing his way through the crowd, until at last he picked up his son.

"You did it, L-loyd!" the warlord yelled.

"You're tied for first," Zane announced.

The crowd cheered even harder. People from other schools had joined the chant. And Lloyd just sat on his dad's shoulders, a shy smile on his face. I laughed and cheered with everyone else. Seeing him up there, successful and most importantly alive, made everything worth it.

But I was even more elated when we went back inside to have a school wide party for Lloyd, far away from the lake. I took big steps toward the door, each one carrying me further and further from the cold, dark waters. I was almost there. Just a few more feet.

My next step never landed. A hand pulled on my kimono. My foot was still in the air as I went backward. I flailed my arms, lost my balance and fell on my back. Hard.

"Ow," I groaned. I pushed myself and turned around. "What's your problem?" I snapped.

Oh. I sighed. It was Nya. She folded her arms and waited for me to get up. Even though she was the one who knocked me down. Figures. I scrambled to my feet and brushed the dirt off my robe.

"What do you want?" I mumbled, ready for my sister to yell at me again.

"I thought you were dead," Nya said quietly.

I sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't know what was going on either. One minute I was in that professor's office and the next I was waking up underwater," I replied.

Nya frowned. "Do you know how much I worried about you?"

I took a step back. My sister edged forward as she talked until she was practically in my face.

"I said I was sorry."

"All I could think about is how I've been fighting with you this whole time and then you were gone and I the last memories of you were going to be us arguing, and how I just wanted to see you one last time, and—" her voice broke.

Nya's eyes were watering. She sniffed. I can't believe I worried her that much. Through our years of school, and even in foster care, I never saw my sister cry, or at least, not that I could remember.

Nya wiped her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I thought—" She looked down at the ground. "I thought I'd never see you again," she whispered.

I stepped back toward my sister and put my arm on her shoulder, then changed my mind. Nya never liked comforting, physical gestures; always hated being a damsel in distress.

I wish I could make her feel better. I watched tear after tear roll down her cheek, and I wished I could just make them all go away.

"Look, Nya, I'm here now. I'm sorry I worried you, but it's really fine."

Nya sniffed again and rubbed her sleeve across her face. Then she lifted her head. Her eyes were red, but there was a hard glint to them. I almost smiled. She was going to be okay.

"But you were under the lake that entire time, are you sure?"

I pushed away the frantic memories clambering in the back of my mind. I survived. That's all that matters.

"Yeah."

Nya frowned. "Okay then, Kai." There was a moment's pause.

Nya was amazing. She dropped the subject and respected me enough to give me space. As we walked into the party, I decided that I would tell my sister what happened someday, but not right now. Not when the memories were still fresh.

Right before the door, Nya stopped. "I accept your apology."

I glanced back at her. "What apology?"

"Back at library, when you apologized for everything. I was going to say I forgive you, and that I'm sorry for being such a drama queen and dragging the whole thing out."

"That's okay, Nya," I replied, but my sister didn't look convinced. So I pulled her into a hug and gave her a squeeze. "I love you," I whispered in my sister's ear.

"I love you too," she whispered back. I let go and Nya pulled away, a smile on her face. "Now let's go celebrate with Lloyd!" she said.

I grinned back and together we went inside. The party was filled with people from all over the school, the food was delicious, and there was loud pop music playing in the background, but the best part was laughing and celebrating with my friends.

* * *

The third task was four months away, plenty of time to relax and study. We taught Lloyd the spells we learned in class so he would be somewhat prepared for the third task when it came.

Soon, March faded into April, and April into May, and before we knew it, June was here.

In the Quidditch field, a western game that was popular at Hogwarts, a maze made of twenty-foot tall hedges had been set up. I began to train Lloyd twice as hard. Who knew what lay inside that dark labyrinth?

* * *

 **AN: Dun, dun, dun! The third task is coming! What do you think is in the labyrinth? Thanks to all the guest reviewers and favs and follows! I really appreciate the support! Hope you enjoyed this longer chapter!**


	13. Chapter 12-Enter the Maze

Interlude: Enter the Maze (Lloyd's POV)

 **AN: Warning-character death ahead.**

* * *

Lloyd's heart pounded in his chest. This is it: The final task. After this, the nightmare would be over, and he would never have to worry about another life- threatening challenge again. He gazed into the dark hedges, hoping to get a glimpse of what was to come.

"Champions! Your task is to reach the Tri-wizard Cup first. It has been hidden in the depths of the maze by Mad-Eye Moody, and only he knows it's true location. If you should run into any trouble in the maze, you may cast red sparks from your wand, and one of the patrolling professors will come to your rescue. Best of luck to you all. You may enter the maze," the announcer said.

Lloyd swallowed and walked toward the hedges. He could hear his friends and his father cheering loudly behind him. The second year glanced at Cedric. He looked so confident, ready to take on anything that was thrown at him. Lloyd wished he were that brave.

Finally, the their path came to an end. Cedric went left, so Lloyd decided to go right. Clouds rolled in overhead, casting a shadow over the maze and a breeze whistled through the hedges. Lloyd shivered. Hopefully, he could make it to the center alive.

Something rattled in the distance. Must be the wind, Lloyd decided. He took a right and took a few more steps when he heard the rattling again. Lloyd tried to shrug it off, but then he heard the rattling again, and again, and again, louder and louder and louder.

Lloyd glanced behind him, but he couldn't make out anything in the gloom. But the noise persisted, so he broke into a jog. Something was definitely following him. He turned left, and right, right again, but the noise wouldn't go away. Maybe this was part of the trial. Maybe he had to confront whatever was making that noise.

Lloyd turned around and waited. Then, all of a sudden, a skeleton came out of the hedges. He had four arms, like Garmadon, with a sword in each hand. Lloyd pulled out his wand. Even if he had four swords, the skeleton couldn't be any match for magic.

"Stupefy!" He yelled.

But the skeleton crossed his swords and deflected the spell. Lloyd gasped and dropped to the ground as red light grazed past his head. The skeleton chuckled and rattled closer, his red eyes glinting.

Okay, so maybe magic wasn't the answer, but there had to be a way to beat this monster.

"What do you want?" Lloyd said, as pushed himself up, buying for time.

"I, Samukai, am going to destroy you!" The skeleton roared. He lunged and Lloyd jumped to the left.

Samukai growled and attacked again.

"Expelliarmus!" Lloyd yelled. The skeleton's four swords went flying. Lloyd grinned. This was it.

"Aarrragh!" The skeleton jumped, arms outstretched. He wasn't giving up.

"Stupefy!" Without his swords, Samukai was helpless. Lloyd sprinted away as fast as possible after making sure he was stunned. Who knew how soon he would get up? Hopefully the whole maze wouldn't be like this.

"They've got Blast-ended Screwts!" Cedric screamed as he bolted from a passageway.

Lloyd watched as the Hogwarts champion sprinted straight toward Samukai.

"Um…there's a skeleton over there!" he called, but Cedric was already gone. Those Blast-ended Screwts must be really bad. Lloyd went the opposite way, and hoped for the best.

Suddenly, a high scream pierced the air. Something must have happened to Fleur. Lloyd shivered and broke into a jog. The sooner he found the cup the better. This maze was starting to drive him crazy. Right, left, left, dead end, right, right, another dead end, left. It just kept going on and on with no end in sight.

Lloyd walked through a dark mist, which made the world turn upside down. He closed his eyes and kept going, until twigs scratched his face and he was forced to open his eyes. He walked right into a hedge, sighing deeply, but kept going.

Then, just up ahead, there was a glimmer of light. Could it be? Yes! The cup was sitting on a black podium, only a few hundred yards away. All he had to do was run up and grab it. It was almost too easy.

Lloyd was almost there, when his legs gave out from under him. Then came the blinding throb of pain. He turned around and a giant spider loomed over him. Its pinchers were covered in blood. His blood. He gulped and backed away as fast as he could, dragging his injured legs behind him, only to hit the podium. He was trapped, with nowhere to go. The spider came closer. Lloyd fumbled to get his wand out of his robes. Why did he put it away in the first place?

"Stupefy!" Cedric yelled. It hit the spider on the back of the head, but it only seemed to get angrier. But the Hogwarts champion had bought Lloyd enough time to think. Maybe elemental magic would work on the giant beast.

Lloyd closed his eyes and let the energy build in his hands. Once he had enough, he opened his eyes and flung it at the spider. It was green, just like with the dragon. Meanwhile, Cedric fired another spell at the creature's head. Both landed at the same time.

The spider shrieked and writhed in pain, and then it finally fell. The champions grinned at each other. They did it. The two of them beat a giant spider together. Cedric helped Lloyd to his feet, and the younger champion leaned on the podium. Then they looked at the Tri-wizard Cup.

"You should take it," Cedric said. "You got here first."

"But I'd be dead if it wasn't for you," Lloyd countered. "You take it."

"Are you kidding? Your green energy was what saved us. I've never seen anything like it."

Lloyd shook his head. "We beat the spider together."

"Then let's take the cup together," Cedric replied.

Lloyd nodded. That sounded fair.

"On three," Lloyd said. "One, two, three."

* * *

As soon as they touched the handle, Lloyd felt a lurch in his stomach, and the whole maze swirled and faded around them. They spun round and round in circles, and bile rose in Lloyd's throat. It was like being on the worst roller coaster ever.

The ground finally spiraled into view, and they thumped on the ground. Lloyd's legs rattled and his cuts burned. He needed to get those wrapped.

"I can't believe it. The cup was a portkey," Cedric said. "This must another challenge or something."

Lloyd looked around. They were in a dark graveyard with crumbling stones, and an old cottage off to the side with rotten wood and cobwebs everywhere. There was a cauldron by one of the gravestones that didn't seem natural at all.

Unease curled in Lloyd's chest. The whole place was kinda creepy.

"Cedric…I think we need to get out of here."

An old door creaked, and a hooded thing in a white cloak almost glided out into the graveyard. It was holding some kind of baby in its arms, almost like a black and purple blob.

"Kill the spare," the thing hissed.

The white robed creature whipped out its wand and flash of green passed before Lloyd's eyes. He didn't even have time to blink. Horror raced through his chest. A killing curse.

The green light hit Cedric in the chest, and he fell to the ground. His blank eyes stared up at Lloyd, and the second year swallowed. He was dead. All because Lloyd wouldn't take the cup. Cedric was dead and it was all Lloyd's fault.

Then the figure turned his wand to Lloyd. In an instant, the second year was bound to a gravestone with hardly any room to breathe, let alone escape. Then the creature dumped the blob in the cauldron and slithered away.

"The boy is secure to the stone, my Overlord," it said.

Overlord? That name sounded familiar, but Lloyd didn't have long to think about it. Suddenly, fire shot through Lloyd's limbs. His skin began to glow and burn. Golden light left him and started entering the cauldron. Lloyd writhed against his restrains but it was no use. He was trapped. A howl escaped from his lips. It was like all his power and energy was being sucked into that black, metal pot. Finally, the light shut off, and Lloyd slumped to the ground, his binds broken with the last of his power.

"Yes! Yes!" the Overlord said, his black form rising out of the cauldron. "After all these years, I'm in the flesh again." Then he turned to Lloyd, who barely had the strength to lift his head. "And as for you, my golden wizard," he said, "your usefulness has come to an end."

Lloyd shivered. Every bone in his body ached, and his limbs had turned to lead. There was no escape. He was going to die. He wished he could have said goodbye to Kai and all his other friends. He even wished he could see Garmadon again, one last time.

The Overlord turned his head to the hooded figure. "Bring me my wand, Pythor," he commanded. The creature bowed and reached inside his robe. Maybe there was a chance, while the Overlord wasn't looking.

Lloyd threw his hands out and forced himself to crawl. He probably wouldn't make it very far, but he pictured Kai, jumping up down, his fist in the air, cheering him on. He heard his father's voice, "You can do it, L-loyd!" And he thought of every person who had pushed him to make it this far. He was going to move another inch for them.

"My Overlord! The boy!" Pythor shouted. He had been discovered. Fear pushed Lloyd faster against the pain, cutting through his exhaustion.

"I see him! Give me my wand, you fool!" the Overlord yelled back.

There was still time. Lloyd crawled faster, even though he had nowhere to go. He ducked behind gravestone after gravestone to keep out of sight. His heart raced. Then, Lloyd's hand brushed something soft instead of the hard, packed earth.

He had accidentally crawled to Cedric, whose body was now cold and lifeless. Lloyd paused.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. If only he had just grabbed the cup in the first place, then Cedric would still be alive.

The cup! If it could take him here, then maybe it could take him back. It was a long shot, but the only one Lloyd had at the moment. It was only a few yards away, but for Lloyd's broken body, it seemed like miles.

"Avada Kedavra!" A voice shrieked.

Lloyd let his body drop to the ground, so the spell would race over his head. That was close. He tried to push himself back up to keep going, but his arms felt like noodles and his battered legs wouldn't respond. But Lloyd had come too far to give up now. He grabbed a nearby gravestone and used it pull himself forward.

The weak stone crumbed in his grasp, but he managed to drag his body a few feet. He glanced at the name on the tomb.

"Sorry, Morro," he whispered. A chill set into Lloyd's bones from head to toe, so strong he actually shuddered, but Lloyd ignored it threw out his arms and pulled his body forward. He didn't have much time left.

"Avada Kedavra!" the Overlord yelled again. It seemed his voice had gotten louder, or maybe he had just gotten closer. This time, Lloyd took shelter behind a marble slab that got obliterated on impact. He covered his face, but not before he got a mouthful of stone and dust.

There had to be a better way to do this. A spell or something. Lloyd couldn't keep crawling. Warm blood oozed from the wounds the spider gave him, and the adrenaline that had got him this far had run out.

The Overlord was in sight now, Pythor at his heels. His patience wore thin. It was now or never. Lloyd freed his wand and racked his brain. Kai and the others, especially Zane, had taught him countless spells over the past few months. There had to be something he could use.

Got it!

"Accio!" Lloyd yelled with all his strength. If he couldn't go to the cup, then he would make it come to him. The Overlord saw what was happening and his eyes widened.

"No!" he screamed, right as the world blended and swirled into nothing. Lloyd closed his eyes. He did it. He survived.

* * *

AN: Thanks to all the guest reviewers-I really appreciate the support! You've reviewed almost every single chapter and I really love seeing your comments. One more chapter to go! Stay tuned.


	14. Chapter 13-He's Back!

**Chapter 13: He's Back**

* * *

I sat on the edge of my seat. It hadn't quite been an hour yet, but it felt like forever since Lloyd had disappeared into the hedges, and the plants were so tall there was no way of knowing what was going on. Red sparks had gone up early on, but then it turned out it was just Fleur.

I tapped my foot. How long was this going to take? And why couldn't they make this thing more spectator friendly? I waited and waited.

Suddendly, Lloyd appeared on the field, the cup clenched in his hand.

"Yes!" I shouted and the crowd roared, but as I looked closer, my joy faded away. Lloyd was lying face down on the ground and he wasn't getting up. Something was wrong.

I pushed through the crowd, and sprinted over to my friend. I turned him over. He was still breathing, thank goodness, but he didn't look so good. His legs were covered in dried blood and dirt, and his eyes remained firmly closed. I shook him, gently at first, then harder and harder. He didn't wake up.

"L-loyd!" Garmadon yelled. I had no idea when the warlord had gotten next to me, but together we tried in vain to wake Lloyd up. We tried everything. My other friends joined us, but even Zane was at a loss. Then Wu joined us. He checked Lloyd's pulse, and then the professor checked his forehead. Then he waved his wand over Lloyd's body. Wu frowned.

"What is it?" Garmadon snapped. "Is my son alright?"

Wu sighed. "Something has drained Lloyd of his elemental power."

I gasped. "He is going to be okay?"

Wu frowned. "It'll take time, but he will recover. For now, Mistaké will brew Lloyd some tea so he can wake up."

I let out a sigh of relief. Now all we had to do is wait. The crowd murmured behind us. This wasn't how the tournament was supposed to go, and there was still no sign of Cedric. We glanced up at the crowds.

"It'd be better if we went inside," Mistaké said, and we all agreed. In the quiet of the infirmary, the potions professor began to brew tea while everyone else sat and waited; except for me. I had enough of sitting. I paced the floor back and forth. It didn't help. After a bit, Mistaké opened Lloyd's mouth and began to drip the healing liquid into his mouth.

He looked so weak. I wish there was something I could do for him beside just watch him suffer all alone. I hated not being able to do anything.

"Who did this to him?" Cole asked behind me.

Garmadon growled and we all stared at him. "There's only one person who could have done this," he said.

"The Overlord's back!" Lloyd suddenly gasped. His whole body flailed as he tried to sit up. I ran to his side and laid him back down on the cot. The second year must be delirious. My friends and I had stopped the Overlord twice already. He couldn't be alive.

"You need to rest," I said.

"He's back!" Lloyd cried again. "He killed Cedric and he almost killed me!"

I had never seen my friend so upset; he looked like he could break at any moment. I glanced at Wu for help.

"I believe you, Lloyd," the professor said, and that seemed to calm him down.

"But how?" I asked.

"Yeah? Didn't we defeat him?" Jay added.

Wu shook his head. "The Overlord's spirit has always been around, even after my father defeated his physical form. He's been biding his time, plotting to try and re-enter the physical realm, and Lloyd's power has given the Overlord the chance he needed."

"So the Overlord planned all this?" Nya asked.

Wu nodded. "I'm afraid so. I had hoped by leaving Ninjago, we could have left the Overlord behind us, but I was wrong."

Garmadon snorted. "I told you so."

Wu lowered his head, causing his hat to cover his eyes. The old professor almost looked…ashamed.

"The Overlord's reach has extended further than I thought, and there's no telling what he'll do next."

"What he's always wanted to do," Garmadon answered. "Cover the world in darkness."

I clenched my fist. We worked so hard to destroy the clock, and the Great Devourer, and now, after all this time, the Overlord was back in physical form, probably even stronger than before. He hurt my friend and stole his power, and now he wants to do the same to everyone else. I couldn't let that happen.

"So we beat him," I said. "Just like we did before."

"But this is the Overlord we're talking about!" Jay cried. "And he's in physical form! Won't that make him more powerful or something?"

Wu nodded. I sighed. Jay literally said my fears out loud, and from the looks on my friends' faces, they felt the same thing. I looked down at Lloyd, who was now resting fitfully. The Overlord had tried to kill him, and I wasn't going to let anyone get away with hurting one of my friends.

"But that doesn't mean we can't try!" I said. "We can't let the Overlord take over the world! We have to stop him. We've done it before, and we can do it again!"

"How do we do that?" Cole asked. "We're just fourth years."

"Yeah! We're just going to get ourselves killed!" Jay said.

"You won't have to do it alone," Wu said. "My brother and I will be there to help you."

Garmadon nodded, and Nya stood up. "Count me in."

Then Zane slid next to her. "Me too," he said. And Cole and even Jay stepped up too.

"We'll finish this together." I told them, and they nodded. I could still see fear in their eyes, mostly in Jay's, but that was okay. If I'm honest, I'm scared too. But one look at Lloyd told me this is what I needed to do. There was no other option.

"The world is going to change," Wu warned us. "This is not going to be easy."

I know. But I don't care. "We'll be ready," I replied.

* * *

 **AN: That's finishes this book series! Next week will be the start of the next book called "Ghost of the Past." I appreciate all your support! You all are great!**


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